Younger people in residential aged care – quarterly dashboard
The Australian Government is working to reduce the number of younger people (under the age of 65) going into residential aged care, and to help younger people who are already in residential aged care to move into age-appropriate accommodation with the supports they need.
In response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the Australian Government announced the Younger People in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) targets. The YPIRAC targets are, apart from in exceptional circumstances:
- no people under the age of 65 entering residential aged care by 2022
- no people under the age of 45 living in residential aged care by 2022
- no people under the age of 65 living in residential aged care by 2025
While the YPIRAC targets have not been met, the Australian Government remains committed to ensuring there are no younger people under the age of 65 living in residential aged care and will continue to report progress towards the targets.
The dashboard below tracks the progress being made towards these targets, using the most recent data available.
It is recognised that there are some people aged under 65 who are eligible to access care and support through residential aged care facilities, either on a temporary or permanent basis.
This includes:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people aged 50–64
- People who are homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless, aged 50–64
First Nations people
First Nations people face multiple health and social disadvantages. Consequently, they are more likely to develop serious medical conditions earlier in life and have a lower life expectancy than their non-Indigenous counterparts. In recognition of poorer health among First Nations communities, aged care services are offered to First Nations people from age 50.
People who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
Data on younger people in residential aged care who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless is limited. At present, the dashboard data source does not contain data on homelessness, meaning the YPIRAC counts include this cohort and are not separately reported. An indication of this cohort has been included in the fact sheet using other data provided by the Department of Health and Aged Care.
Yes, current and historical data tables are available on the YPIRAC topic page.
For more information related to this initiative, see the Department of Health and Aged Care website.
For more information on younger people with disability living in residential aged care, please visit the National Disability Insurance Agency website.
For more information on the pathways and health service use of YPIRAC, please see the following publications hosted on the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare website:
