Older People and Aged Care in Rural, Regional and Remote Australia

This Discussion Paper will increase the understanding of issues facing care services for older people in rural, regional and remote Australia and propose some options for ensuring that services are available locally and have a viable future. The authors believe that new models of services and support for rural and remote areas must be developed and supported. It is clear that imposing essentially metropolitan models of services in rural and remote communities does not work. We commend this paper for the attention of policy makers, researchers and government, in the belief that it will help the rural, regional and remote aged care sector to make its presence felt as this important debate continues in Australia and around the world.