Doug Taylor, nearly 80, has been caring for his wife Eileen since her dementia diagnosis over a decade ago. Now, he faces his own health challenges, including prostate cancer, osteoarthritis, and sciatica. Taylor has applied for home care but faces a lengthy wait of nine to twelve months for an assessment, followed by up to a year for support.

Once approved, Taylor will be required to contribute financially for services under new changes announced by the government last year. Unlike Eileen, who already has a home care package that is protected, Doug will have to pay for all care classified as "non-clinical." "I'm not against paying anything, but I guess some of the figures that I've heard sound really extreme, so whatever savings you might have are not going to last very long," he said.

Starting November 1, the government will implement a new Support at Home scheme. Under this scheme, all new entrants, including full pensioners, will have to contribute to care and services. The amount paid will depend on individual income and assets. For personal care tasks, such as assistance with showers and medication, pensioners and part-pensioners will pay between 5 and 50 percent of the service provider's fee. For everyday living tasks like cleaning and cooking, charges will be even higher, ranging from 17.5 to 80 percent.

According to the Department of Health, providers plan to charge around $100 per hour for personal care and about $95 for domestic assistance. This means that some part-pensioners and all self-funded retirees could pay approximately $50 for an hour of personal care and around $75 for help with cleaning and cooking.

Beverly Baker from the Older Women's Network expressed concern that some pensioners might forgo essential care due to low weekly incomes. "A shower is essential hygienic care," she said. "To ask people to choose between that and food is really an obscenity." She criticized the perception that all baby boomers are wealthy, stating, "We're talking about people who have worked all of their lives, who've scrimped and saved, maybe hang onto their own home, and who are doing it tough on a pension."

While some providers acknowledge the need for reform in the aged care system, they are worried about the financial burden on older Australians. Luke Traini, CEO of Trilogy Care, noted, "I don't think it's widely known that this is a central part of the new program and a big change from the way it has always been." He expressed concern about the ability of pensioners to afford co-payments that could reach up to 80 percent.

The Inspector General of Aged Care, Natalie Siegel-Brown, criticized the co-payment scheme, stating it contradicts the intent of the aged care royal commission. "I believe that it will prejudice those with the lowest income in our society — and that has costs to human rights, fairness and equity," she said. Siegel-Brown warned that these reforms could lead to premature hospitalizations, increasing costs for taxpayers.

State ministers have reported a crisis in hospitals, with nearly 2,500 elderly patients unable to leave due to a lack of aged care placements, costing taxpayers $1 billion annually.

Changes will also affect residential care for new entrants. Thirty percent of pensioners, 75 percent of part-pensioners, and all self-funded retirees will face new fees for non-clinical care. New entrants will be means-tested to determine their contributions for services like bathing and mobility assistance, with a daily limit of $100. Additionally, residents may incur a daily "hotelling supplement" for meals and cleaning.

Under the new rules, providers can retain part of the Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD), which families pay to secure a room in residential facilities. Previously, families received the full RAD back after a resident's death. Now, providers can keep 2 percent per year, up to a maximum of 10 percent over five years.

Aged Care Minister Sam Rae and Health Minister Mark Butler declined interview requests. Rae stated that financial hardship assistance would be available for those in need.

Doug and Eileen Taylor feel the government is discriminating against them due to their age. "We had a royal commission that looked at the system and made recommendations," Doug said. "They've ignored most of them. So, I get angry with it." Advocates like Beverly Baker believe older Australians will protest against these changes. "We are the generation of protest," she said. "When people realize the impact, they'll be out demanding not more than we need, but what we need — so that we can die with dignity."