Aged care outreach lets frail seniors receive hospital-level treatment at home

The Illawarra-Shoalhaven Aged Care Outreach Service, operating since July 2023, provided in-home specialist care to frail seniors across the district. In the 2025-26 financial year the team received 2,502 referrals and managed 2,393 of them—95.6%—without requiring an emergency department visit. Treatments included intravenous antibiotics, fluid therapy and comprehensive medication reviews delivered by geriatricians and nurses within residential facilities.

An additional 124 cases were handled for patients already in emergency departments, facilitating their return to aged care settings. Hospital emergency departments in the region recorded 42,687 attendances between January and March, highlighting the strain on services. Program leaders argue that caring for older adults in familiar surroundings improves safety and may reduce hospital bed block. Future plans aim to extend the outreach model to frail elders living independently at home.