Affordability and sustainability in aged care are global challenges, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. 🌏 What can we learn from countries like Japan and their approach to funding care for the next generation?

It’s worth getting your aged care assessment sorted early, even if you’re still doing alright on your own. You don’t want to be waiting for help when you need it most. It can take forever, so apply early!

Affordability and sustainability are at a crossroads. Are we asking the tough questions about the need for long-term care and making it accessible to all?

I’ve watched my mum go through months of depression, and one of the hardest parts was that we didn’t really know how to talk about it. In the culture I grew up in, depression wasn’t something we openly discussed, especially when it came to our parents getting older. We were comfortable talking about physical health, aches and pains, blood pressure, or needing a bit of help around the house, but talking about loneliness, anxiety or feeling depressed was a different conversation altogether. And I think that silence can make things even harder. As our parents age, there can be so many changes happening at once. Their health may change, they may lose some of the routines that once gave them purpose, and things they used to do independently may suddenly become more difficult. Sometimes, what looks like “just getting older” may actually be a sign that they’re struggling emotionally too. I’ve realised that sometimes the answer isn’t about trying to fix everything for Mum. It’s about creating the right support around her so she can start doing the things that make her feel like herself again. That’s one reason I think the idea of reablement is so important. Support doesn’t always mean doing everything for someone. Sometimes, it’s about helping them maintain or regain the confidence and ability to keep doing the things that matter to them. In Australia, programs such as CHSP and Support at Home can provide different types of support for eligible older people, depending on their assessed needs. For some families, that support can help reduce the practical burden and create more opportunities for an older person to stay engaged in their everyday life. Of course, support won’t change everything overnight, and depression deserves proper recognition and professional support. But I’ve learned that a conversation can be a very important place to start. Sometimes it can be as simple as saying: “Mum, we’re okay. You don’t have to carry everything on your own anymore. Let’s focus on the things that are important to you.” If you’ve noticed your parent becoming withdrawn, anxious or unlike themselves, I hope this reminds you that you don’t have to wait until things reach a crisis point before starting that conversation. Save this if you’re supporting an ageing parent, and share it with someone who may be quietly going through the same thing.