MSWA cuts home care for 76 clients in Western Australia, leaving disabled woman facing $1,000 monthly gap

An 80-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis is among 76 clients in Western Australia losing home care services after MSWA announced it will stop providing the Commonwealth-funded Support at Home program, citing increased costs and administrative burdens from federal aged care reforms. Marlene Robinson, who is wheelchair-bound and depends on support workers for tasks like showering and dressing, said she does not know what she will do without the care. MSWA charges $60 an hour for personal care, half the market average of $125, meaning clients face doubled rates or reduced care, with Robinson estimating she would need to pay $1,000 extra per month. MSWA said it is not abandoning clients and will help transition them to partner providers, while industry leaders warn smaller providers may not survive the compliance burden. The federal government defended its reforms as ensuring accountability and reasonable prices, as Robinson and her husband consider whether she must move into residential care.