The Grand Plan for the federal election

The Campaign for Care of Older Australians (CCOA) said today's official announcement of the federal election campaign was an opportunity for all parties to make a public commitment to the reform of aged care.

The Grand Plan, a new vision for the care of older Australians, was launched by CCOA on June 30 to celebrate older people who have made our country great, and seek bipartisan support for more choice and access to aged care services within a properly funded and regulated system.

"The key thing we need to see at this election is a commitment from all parties to support the fundamental reform of our residential and community aged care system," CCOA said.

"More than a million older Australians who have been our carers, mentors, heroes and friends depend on aged care services every day," CCOA said. "Together with the next generation of older people who will also be voting in this election, they need to be reassured that aged care is a government priority which will be acted on.

"The Grand Plan proposes immediate and longer term strategies to reform how, when and where aged care services are delivered to meet current and future demand.

"While we have welcomed the Productivity Commission inquiry into aged care and supported earlier recommendations from other significant reviews, we need to be confident that the elected government will introduce real reforms.

"We call on all parties to commit more resources for aged care so that older people receiving care now do no miss out while waiting for longer term reform.

"The needs of older Australians cannot and should not be overlooked in this campaign which the Prime Minister has declared to be about moving forward.

"As we move forward we will enter an era where older people are forecast to represent a quarter of our population.

"We call on all candidates, all parties, to commit to reforming aged care as a matter of urgency for the older people who don't have the luxury of time, for the older people who will come after them, our families, our friends, all Australians."

CCOA comprises the peak bodies and national service providers of residential and community based aged care services. For more information visit www.thegrandplan.com.au