A recent report says that the number of rest-home beds needs to be doubled in the next 16 years to avert an aged residential care crisis.

The Aged Residential Care Service Review which was commissioned by the leaders of the residential aged care sector along with the district health boards and the Health Ministry has discovered that 26,500 to
37,500 new and replacement beds are required by the year 2026. They predict that the demand will start to rise from 2014.

The rise in demand was being driven by a surge in the elderly population as baby boomers hit the retirement age. By the year 2026, the over-65 population was expected to go up from 512,000 to 994,000.

Health minister Tony Ryall said at the launch of the review yesterday, "We do not have the facilities or services to care for those people when they age. The job is one of absolute priority."

Chris Fleming, the district health boards' lead chief executive for aged residential care said that not making any efforts is not an option now.