Say "no" to the nursing home, urges campaign

A new television, radio and digital campaign has been launched that calls for Australians to embrace independent living as they age.

The tongue-in-cheek campaign was launched by Alpha Support at Home, which offers comprehensive support options for individuals who are able and wish to remain living independently.

The campaign is driven by sector research that shows around 80% of older people want to stay at home as they age.¹

Alpha Support at Home was established in 2023 to support Australians seeking to live independently in their own home as they age. It offers an innovative support model that is founded on best practice clinical standards.

Alpha Support at Home National Operations Manager Community Tracey Herriot said as a relatively new player in the growing in-home care market, it needed to be bold and innovative in its approach.

“Our campaign aims to shake up a complex in-home care market with an alternate approach to aging at home,” she said.

“Using humour to deliver the message, our aim is to connect with the next generation of aging Australians to educate them on their options, offering them choice and agency for in-home care.

“We recognise that everybody’s journey is different and understand that for some a nursing home setting is best to support their health needs and requirements.

“However, research tells us that the next generation of aging Australians are seeking options outside of the traditional nursing home setting. We know that people can continue to live independently and positively in their home as they age with the right support.”

Currently more than 250,000 older people receive government-funded home care nationwide. According to the Aged Care Taskforce report released in March this year, over the next 20 years an average annual increase of 44,000 home care participants is forecast, totalling two million older people using home care by 2042, an increase of around one million.

“As the population ages and as the demand for in-home care strengthens, we recognise the need to offer Australians an empowering solution without compromising on lifestyle,” Herriot said.

^{1. Ageing and Aged Care Survey, Research Paper 4, July 2020 https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2020-07/apo-nid306866.pdf}

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