There are fears that more Tasmanians will die while waiting for aged care packages.
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The latest data on the aged home care package waiting list shows 2757 Tasmanians were waiting for care as at June 30 compared with 2474 at the end of 2017.
The majority of those in the queue are waiting for level three and four packages which provide the most support.
Labor Senator Helen Polley and Carers Tasmania chief executive David Brennan have expressed concern at the increase in the number of Tasmanians waiting for home care packages.
Mr Brennan said the situation was dire for many older Tasmanians and their carers.
“Someone has to die to free up a package if you are on a waiting list and for many people they have to make a quick decision to put a loved one in a home because they have no choice,” he said.
“Many women physically cannot cope and they suffer guilt and shame because they have to put their lifelong partner in a home.
“It is mainly women who just cannot physically manage at home.
“The longest wait is for level three and four which is hands on support and heavy duty care not just taking someone shopping.”
Senator Polley said she was worried older Tasmanians were ending up in hospital emergency departments and residential care as their health deteriorated.
“We know of people actually dying while they wait for care and in some cases family have received letters saying a package has been approved when the person has actually died,” she said.
“We have a 94-year-old man waiting for care and how can you tell him he will have to wait 12-18 months?
“It is getting worse and I have had single parents crying when they tell me that because they work they can’t look after their children and their elderly parents as well.”
Senator Polley and Mr Brennan said a big shortage of trained aged care workers in rural and regional parts of Tasmania was also causing problems for people when they did get home care packages.