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Stuck in Hospital: The Hidden Crisis Facing Older Australians
INS LifeGuard • November 26, 2025
Every day across Australia, older patients who are medically ready to leave hospital remain there waiting for a suitable home care service, in-home support, or an aged care bed. This isn’t just an inconvenience. It has profound consequences for the individual, their family, the hospital system, and aged care services.
What’s Happening?
- At least 2,500 older Australians are currently "bed-blocked" in hospitals, medically cleared but unable to leave due to a lack of aged care placements or support at home.
- These delays account for up to 10% of hospital bed days in some states.
- It’s costing the system up to $1 billion annually in avoidable hospital stays.
- Families are being left to manage complex care at home. One woman recently shared her experience of there being no beds for her husband, being handed a blood pressure machine and told to monitor her husband’s health herself, with no training or clinical backup.
Why It Matters
For the patient: Staying in hospital longer than necessary increases the risk of infection, physical decline, and emotional stress.
For hospitals: Bed shortages create a ripple effect, delaying surgeries and urgent care.
For families: Loved ones are often discharged into their care with little to no preparation, placing emotional and medical responsibility on people who aren't equipped for the role.
What’s Driving the Problem?
- Shortage of residential aged care beds and long waitlists.
- Under-resourced home care providers and delays in Support at Home assessments or availability.
- Gaps in transitional care and discharge planning.
- A lack of accessible, tech-enabled support solutions in the home.
Where INS LifeGuard Can Help
INS LifeGuard provides real solutions to help ease these pressures:
- Nurse-monitored personal alarms and smartwatches for safety and clinical backup at home.
- Vital signs monitoring to track health post-discharge, without relying solely on family.
- 24/7 access to real nurses, helping reduce unnecessary re-admissions.
- Bridging support for families while permanent care or services are being arranged.
For hospitals and aged care providers, a personal alarm through INS LifeGuard offers a way to support safer early discharge and continuity of care at home without overwhelming families or delaying the patient journey.
FAQs: Early Discharge, Aged Care Delays & Support at Home
Why won’t the hospital discharge my elderly parent?
Hospitals may delay discharge if no safe or appropriate care arrangement is available at home or in aged care. This often happens due to bed shortages, waitlists, or gaps in transitional care.
Can I say no to taking someone home after discharge?
Yes, you can raise concerns if you don’t feel prepared or safe to care for someone post-discharge. Hospitals have a duty to ensure safe discharge plans, and you can request further assessment or support.
What support is available after early hospital discharge?
Depending on the situation, support may include home care providers, transitional care programs, or nurse-monitored services like those offered by INS LifeGuard.
What is a "bed-blocked" patient?
This refers to someone who no longer needs acute hospital care but remains in hospital due to a lack of available support or placement.
How can INS LifeGuard help with early discharge?
We offer nurse-monitored safety alarms, fall detection, vital signs tracking, and real-time health monitoring that help families and providers support recovery at home — safely and with clinical backup. INS LifeGuard can bridge that gap by monitoring and responding to health issues at home.
What happens if there's no aged care bed available?
Sometimes, hospitals discharge patients into family care while waiting for an aged care place. This can be risky without proper support. INS LifeGuard can bridge that gap by monitoring and responding to health issues at home.
A Smarter Step-Down Solution
As Australia’s aged care system continues to evolve, we need to think beyond beds. With the right monitoring and support in place, older Australians can return home safely and confidently earlier, and hospitals can free up capacity where it’s most needed.
Need help planning safer discharges or post-hospital care options? Call 1800 636 040 today to learn more or speak to our friendly team.
About
INS LifeGuard is the only 24/7 nurse on-call personal and medical monitoring in Australia. We provide monitoring technology for both in the home and on the go and can also monitor other provider's equipment. Our services are suitable for anyone wanting support to stay independent such as the elderly, those with medical conditions and disabilities plus enhancing safety and security for lone workers.
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