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Aged care advocates fear an incoming sector shake-up means new fees for at-home assistance could force older Australians to cut out important services. From November 1, Aussies accessing Support at Home will pay nothing for clinical care including nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, continence support and nutrition. But non-clinical care and support, such as cleaning, shopping and showering, will incur new fees based on the participant's income. READ MORE: Woman charged with murder after mother, boys die in house fire People already on a Home Care Package will be exempt from the new rates and will continue paying the same flat fee. Dealing with ongoing challenges following a car accident, Liz Barton, 76 recently became in need of help around the home after husband Eric suffered a stroke. "You think that ageing will be a slow process but in fact it can be quite abrupt due to a sudden health issue," Barton said. "So I'm going to need some kind of cleaning, home supports, that kind of thing." But they're likely to be waiting months for government-assisted home care, and will be paying more. The aged care advocate fears the changes could have dangerous health impacts on vulnerable community members. "They will end up doing without medication, they will end up doing without showers, without necessary supports because they simply won't have the money," Barton said. Under the new charges, pensioners will pay five per cent of the full price of independence-based services such as showering, transport, self-administered medication and home safety modification. READ MORE: Specialist taskforce to take over search for Dezi Freeman Part-time pensioners will be charged between five to 50 per cent and self-funded retirees will pay the full 50 per cent. When it comes to daily living assistance like cleaning, shopping, meal prep, gardening and home maintenance, pensioners will pay 17.5 per cent, self-funded retirees 80 per cent and part-time pensioners somewhere in between. "There is a tsunami of co-payments about to rain down on older people," Greens spokesperson for older people, Penny Allman-Payne, said. "We know that the impacts on older people of not being able to access the care that they need are catastrophic." Aged Care Minister Sam Rae says the changes will help older people "get the support they need to stay at home for longer". But shadow health minister Anne Ruston labelled Rae's comments "a cruel hoax". "The government has absolutely dropped the ball when it comes to making older Australians aware of the implications of these changes," Ruston said. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
