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Story summary
- Dr Peter Allely warns health system is unprepared for an older-patient surge.
- Australian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) forecasts a 411 % rise in patients 85 and over by 2050.
- In 2023-24, 53,500 older patients waited 24 hours for a bed, a 250 % jump since 2018-19.
- One in two older patients were admitted, double the rate of younger patients.
- Australia needs about 10,600 new aged-care beds annually but added only 802 in 2024-25.