People with dementia were cautioned not to apply for home support after the Australian government rolled out an automated aged‑care assessment algorithm in November. The system, which determines funding packages and priority, was said to downgrade care for some older Australians, prompting warnings from advocacy groups.
According to documents obtained through freedom of information requests, the algorithm was implemented with a rule that assessors could not override its decisions, even when the funding level was deemed insufficient. A notable case involved a husband caring for his wife with progressive dementia who was on a level three package that provided about eight hours of support per week. The wife’s condition had worsened and a reassessment was needed, but the local assessment service advised the husband not to pursue it, citing previous instances where people with dementia received less or no support after an Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) review.
The Older Persons Advocacy Network and Ageing Australia both sent papers to senior department officials in February, citing deaths and deteriorations linked to the algorithm’s failures. They highlighted examples of people with Parkinson’s disease and other complex needs who were reassessed as requiring no additional care, despite clear clinical indications to the contrary. Internal emails revealed that assessors felt untrained on the IAT and that the system’s reliance on automation was contributing to preventable harm.
In response, the health department said it would introduce a new “assessment escalation pathway” that allows assessors to refer cases to the department secretary. The pathway is meant to sit alongside existing review provisions, but advocates say the details are still unclear. The Commonwealth Ombudsman has opened an investigation into the matter.
