An 83-year-old Sunshine Coast grandmother is now recovering in hospital as her family questions whether months of waiting for approved aged care contributed to her decline.
Robyn had been approved for a Level 3 Home Care Package in March after her care needs increased, but the family was told funding could take more than nine months to become available.
Granddaughter Rowie said Robyn’s condition deteriorated in the months that followed, before a fall left her with a broken leg.
“Earlier access to her approved Level 3 Home Care Package may have reduced her risk of falling and may have enabled her to remain safely at home for longer,” she said.
Robyn has since been transferred from Sunshine Coast University Hospital to Nambour General Hospital, leaving her about 45 minutes away from family and friends.
Sunshine Coast Health said Robyn’s transfer was part of its integrated hospital network, with Nambour Hospital providing subacute care such as rehabilitation and ongoing treatment.
A spokesperson said patients could be moved between beds, wards or hospitals depending on their clinical needs, helping ensure acute beds remained available for patients requiring more urgent care.
“While we understand these moves can sometimes be unexpected, our teams work to make every transfer as smooth, safe, and respectful as possible,” the spokesperson said.
“These decisions support patient safety and help maintain the flow of care across our hospitals so we can continue caring for everyone who needs us.”
The family said its concerns were raised directly with the Acting Program Manager from Queensland Health Aged Care Assessments during a hospital visit on August 18, but it was advised there was nothing that could be done.
“What is perhaps most frustrating is that this outcome has not only devastated my grandmother and our family – it has also placed additional strain on Queensland’s already overwhelmed public hospital system,” Rowie said.
“An approval without timely access to care is not a solution. It is a promise left unfulfilled.
“Families should not have to repeatedly fight, escalate matters through MPs and contact multiple organisations simply to get an elderly family member assessed for the care they require.”
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Robyn’s experience comes as advocacy groups continue to raise concerns about delays under the federal government’s Support at Home program.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Older Persons Advocacy Network CEO Craig Gear said the Government’s latest Aged Care Wait Times report showed some improvement, but standard-priority applicants still waited an average of seven to 10 months for Support at Home.
“More than 250,000 older people are currently on the wait list for aged care, either for an assessment, allocation of funding or a package at their approved level,” Mr Gear said.
“These are not numbers, they are human beings, who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.”
Mr Gear said the organisation had continued to call for changes to the system, including better processes for escalating cases where an older person’s needs or priority level changed.
“We look forward to seeing the findings from the government’s review and working together to find a better way forward to escalate exceptional cases, including times when an older person’s needs or priority level have changed,” Mr Gear said.
“This must occur with appropriate clinical and human oversight.”
Sunshine Coast News contacted the federal government for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.
Last names have been redacted at the family’s request to protect their privacy.
