Government expenditure on home care is growing at a faster rate than residential care, the latest figures show.
The GEN aged care data released on Wednesday shows that community-based care received $5.1 billion between 2013-2018, representing a 34 per cent increase, compared to a 24 per cent increase for residential care.
However residential care continues to get the lions share of funding, attracting 67 per cent of the more than $18 billion invested in aged care services. Just under a third (28 per cent) went to home care.
There was a 50 per cent increase in assessment and information services but a 62 per cent decrease in workforce and service improvement, while the amount spent on flexible care dropped by 9 per cent.
The Northern Territory has the nation’s highest rate of government spending per person for home care and support, followed the ACT. Tasmania had the highest growth in spending, with expenditure almost doubling.
The NT spent $1,616 per person on home care and the ACT spent $1,539.
The NT also had the highest rate of spending on flexible care, which includes a specific Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander program.