Health services used by younger people living in residential aged care

The aged care system is designed to support the needs of older Australians and is generally considered an unacceptable setting for younger people (aged under 65) to live. Despite this, many younger Australians live in permanent residential aged care.

This report describes younger people’s use of health services while living in residential aged care during 2020–21, using linked data in the National Integrated Health Services Information (NIHSI). Common service patterns in primary care, acute care and dispensed prescriptions are covered. Future work by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) will focus on younger people in residential aged care’s use of disability services.