Govt announces $37m funding boost for meal delivery services
In a bid to keep up with the rising cost of living, the Albanese government has announced a $37 million boost for older Australians receiving home care services to be able to afford nutritious meals.
From January 1 2025, every meal provider under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will receive a 10 per cent increase to their government funding,
Over 500 registered meal delivery services like Meals on Wheels, Lite n' Easy and Nourishd, receive around 70 to 80 per cent of the cost of food preparation and delivery from the federal government, leaving the customer responsible for the cost of ingredients (around 20-30 per cent).
This is a great way for older people to be able to afford good nutrition, with some services working out as low as $2.30 per meal.
Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells announced the funding boost on Tuesday, bringing the government's total investment into CHSP meal services to $131.64 million for 2024.
“Our $37m investment will help Meals on Wheels and other meals providers deliver an essential service, bringing healthy meals to older Australians to help them stay healthy and connected to their community.
“We’re giving an immediate cost-of-living funding boost to CHSP meals providers servicing communities across Australia. We want to ensure they can continue to deliver better choice, better nutrition and better social supports for older people living at home.
“Meals on Wheels and other CHSP meals providers are a vital and well-loved part of our aged care system. Often, they are also valued providers of social support, helping older people to stay connected to their local community and live at home for longer.”
There has been a huge focus on malnutrition and the quality of meals provided within a residential aged care setting since the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety identified food as an area requiring urgent review, but an increasing number of older Australians are making the decision to age at home for as long as possible.
Data released in July by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reveals the number of older Australians accessing home care has grown by over 200,000 in the past 10 years.
Between 2013 and 2023, the number of people opting to receive care at home increased more than fourfold – from 57,000 to 258,000 people (357 per cent). In comparison the number of people using permanent residential care saw an increase of just 9.5 per cent (from 169,000 to 185,000 people).
The number of home care recipients increased by 57 per cent (almost 27,000) between 2019 and 2020, representing the most significant year-on-year increase.
This is due, in part, to Australia's aging population, with the number of people aged 65 and over increasing by 32 per cent, but there has also been a significant shift in preference with the advancement of home care services, allowing more older people more autonomy over how and where they age.
At the same time, food and groceries have been a major gripe for many Aussies as the cost of living continues to bite.
Polling released by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work found that 60 per cent of respondents identified groceries as having the most noticeable price increase, followed by utilities (21 per cent) and transport (seven per cent).
The government's $37 million investment will aim to support the over 835,000 people recieving a CHSP package to stay well-nourished in their homes.
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