Basis for genuine consultation in aged care services

Abstract

We have and will continue to have two older populations each defined as old. One population, (comprising people roughly aged over sixty-five and under seventy-five) is deemed too old for the paid labour force, and the other (comprising people aged seventy-five and over) is deemed too old to participate physically and emotionally in mainstream society. We are facing two explosions - an explosion of perceived uselessness and an explosion of care. The traditional care providing organisations - governments, community agencies and families are all under great pressure. Any crisis of care can be addressed only by a partnership of government, community agencies, and families. The first step is to produce a genuine basis of consultation - not only for the provider but also for the consumers - those elderly people that make up our client group.