Committing to the future of our ageing community

Published on 09 March 2023

Our senior residents are some of Hume’s most important. 

Many of these incredible older folk have grown up in Hume, lived here for decades, or are new arrivals that bring some amazing tales from their places of origin. 

That’s why on Monday 27 February, we reaffirmed our commitment to the future of aged care and will continue as a service provider of Commonwealth funded aged care services.

Despite the changing aged services landscape, we have continued to operate and deliver high quality programs and services in a dynamic aged services environment.

This decision demonstrates Council's commitment to our ageing community and will provide certainty to those accessing these services now and into the future.

These services encompass a variety of things that seek to support the participation, independence, and quality of life of older residents, including:

• Assistance with everyday living activities, such as domestic assistance, delivered and centre-based meals, home maintenance and support to attend social activities
• Help with personal care, such as showering and getting dressed
• Assistance with finding services and support that meets the needs and preferences of older individuals
• Opportunities for leisure, social participation, civic participation, and life-long learning

  As you would be aware Hume City Council is growing rapidly and that’s particularly true for our older age brackets. Did you know?

• The number of people aged 65 years and older in Hume City in 2021 was 25,297 and is expected to increase by 45 per cent over the next 10 years and 94 per cent by 2041.
• Over these same periods, those aged 85 years and over are expected to grow by 65 per cent to 2031 and by 156 per cent to 2041. 

This growing cohort are also those most likely to need services to help them to stay independent and remain living at home, which is where we come in.

In 2023-2024, Council is planning for the combined delivery of in excess of 100,000 hours of services and 20,000 meals under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) for up to 5,000 residents and their carers over the year. 

Demand for Council’s Home Care Package (HCP) program continues to grow rapidly, with the program currently supporting 50 per cent more clients than initially projected. 

Getting older happens, but together we will continue to ensure that some of our most treasured residents don’t have to give up doing what they love. 

Learn more about what we are doing to help Older People in Hume