<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>328975</docID> <postdate>2024-09-12 14:27:50</postdate> <headline>Government reaches deal on aged care reform</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-328976" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20231130001871775204-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>The federal government has reached a deal on aged care reform. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Andrew Brown</strong> in Canberra</span></p> <p><strong>Older Australians will be given more support to stay in their own home for longer under sweeping reforms to aged care.</strong></p> <p>The federal government has reached a deal with the coalition as part of a $5.6 billion package.</p> <p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the changes would be a largest improvement in aged care in 30 years.</p> <p>"This is about caring for the generation that cared for us," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday.</p> <p>A home care package called Support at Home will come into effect from July 2025 and will help Australians live independently in their home with support before going into aged care.</p> <p>It's estimated 1.4 million people will benefit from the program in a decade's time.</p> <p>Support at Home will provide support for clinical care such as nursing and help with everyday tasks like cleaning.</p> <p>A new lifetime contribution cap of $130,000 will apply for non-clinical care costs.</p> <p>The aged care agreement will provide a no-worse-off principle for people already in aged care facilities.</p> <p>New laws will also be introduced to protect the rights of Australians living in aged care, along with a regulator with investigative powers.</p> </body>