Health Policies for an Ageing Australia

Older people use hospitals more—people over 85 are admitted to hospitals at a rate of more than three times the Australian average. They also tend to be admitted for different conditions—chronic conditions predominate. This higher admission rate for older people, and an increase in the reported admission rate over the decade to 2010, does not necessarily mean that there is an ageing ‘apocalypse’. The change in hospital admission patterns is occurring slowly and so small incremental changes to policies (which have a larger effect over time) are the appropriate response, not dramatic crisis-response type changes to the health system. Policy responses to the implications of ageing for hospital care include a focus on reducing preventable admissions and diversion strategies to increase use of alternate sites of care. Improvements are also needed in discharge planning and in reducing adverse events as people age.