In September 2020, the Australian Government released the Younger People in Residential Aged Care Strategy 2020-2025 .
The Younger People in Residential Aged Care Strategy 2020-2025 (the YPIRAC Strategy) guides the actions to reduce the number of younger people living in residential aged care and aims to give more choice and control to younger people about where and how they live.
Why is the Younger People in Residential Aged Care Strategy important?
The YPIRAC Strategy identifies why, when and how the Department of Social Services, NDIA and Department of Health will work together to deliver better experiences and outcomes for younger people who are living in, or are at risk of entering residential aged care.
The YPIRAC Strategy was developed by the Department of Social Services, Department of Health and the NDIA, with input from state and territory governments, advocacy groups and other key stakeholders.
To help deliver the YPIRAC Strategy, a Joint Agency Taskforce (JATF) has been set up with representatives from the Department of Social Services, Department of Health and the NDIA. The JATF reports to the Minister for the NDIA and the Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services on the progress being made towards reducing the number of younger people in residential aged care.
Find out more about the JATF, or read the full YPIRAC strategy .
The YPIRAC Strategy is also available in an Easy Read version.
What is the NDIA’s role in the Younger People in Residential Aged Care Strategy?
The NDIA’s role is to support NDIS participants aged under 65, who are living in or at risk of entering residential aged care, to have more choice and control over where they live.
This means:
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supporting participants to know and understand the various home and living support options available as alternatives to residential aged care
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helping participants connect with providers who can help them achieve their home and living goals and supports
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making sure participants who live in residential aged care continue to be supported with the right funded supports
We have already started work to support improved outcomes for NDIS participants who are living in, or at risk of entering aged care.
We have:
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improved how we fund supports for participants to explore and connect with alternative home and living options
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created a specialised YPIRAC planners team who are dedicated to supporting younger participants who live in or are at risk of entering aged care – if the younger participant has a goal to move out of, or avoid living in residential aged care, our specialised YIPRAC team can help them identify and move towards their home and living goal
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implemented Health Liaison Officers in some hospitals throughout Australia who can identify younger people at risk of entering aged care when they discharge from hospital, and connect them with the most appropriate pathway
- worked together with other government agencies and community services to help implement the YPIRAC Strategy and make sure NDIS participants have more choice and control over where and how they live.
We will continue to work with participants, their family and carers, providers, state and federal governments, and community organisations to support participants to move out or avoid entering aged care, if they want to.
We will also continue to support people with disability who are aged under 65 and are at risk of entering residential aged care to test their eligibility for the NDIS.
YPIRAC Annual Report 2020/21
On 22 December 2021, the Australian Government released the first annual report against the Younger People in Residential Aged Care (YPIRAC) Strategy.
The release of this report is part of the Agency’s ongoing commitment to NDIS participants, the disability sector and other stakeholders for greater transparency.
It also shows the Government’s continued commitment to ensuring no one under the age of 65 is living in, or entering, residential aged care unless there are exceptional circumstances.
You can read the 2020/2021 YPIRAC Annual Report , which is also available in Easy Read.
More information
Find more information about what the Younger People in Residential Aged Care Strategy means for participants.
If you’re a provider (including residential aged care providers and support coordinators) and want more information about what the Younger People in Residential Aged Care Strategy means for you, please see the information for providers.
You can also find out more about the regulatory requirements for residential aged care providers who support NDIS participants.
If you are family, a carer or nominee, please see information for families and carers.
To find out more about each agency involved in the YPIRAC Strategy, and how they are helping deliver it, see the: