Is Australia prepared to cope with its 'modern-day success story'?

Key points

• Emergency departments will increasingly struggle to cope with a rising number of elderly patients, according to a new report from the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine. Presentations by older people rose 16 per cent from 2019 to 2024, and half of those visits led to hospital admission.
• Experts say older people are falling through the gaps across the health and aged care systems.
• Aged care waitlists have left many people without crucial care, with an average of 17 older Australians dying each day last year while waiting for home care support.