Australians face burgeoning costs to cover the needs of caring for the elderly unless the nation significantly boosts investment in the sector, the chair of a major aged-care company says.

"I believe we're fast heading into a community crisis unlike anything Australia has seen before," Regis Healthcare chair Graham Hodge told shareholders at the company's annual meeting.

"The demographic time bomb is predictable and relentless, and while some might see the call for increased funding as self interest, I know it's in all our interests to quickly accelerate the capacity of our aged care system to better align with current and future needs."

The current federal government had not caused the problem, but it was crucial the nation tackled the issue, Mr Hodge said on Tuesday.

"All Australians

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