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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Julianne Schultz

A $1.95m deposit and $10k a month: welcome to the for-profit world of Australian aged care where no one is a winner

An older person's hand on a walking frame
‘For the three-quarters of aged people on pensions, the new co-payments for non-clinical services are often beyond their means,’ writes Julianne Schultz. Photograph: Carly Earl/The Guardian

You know you have entered the parallel universe of residential aged care when you find yourself saying, “Just to clarify, the deposit for the room is $1.95m, and the charges will be about $10,000 a month?”

“That’s correct,” the kindly sales agent replies.

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