The aged-care algorithm replacing human judgment
Aged care expert Professor Kathy Eagar on the human consequences of handing decisions to an algorithm, and the people whose needs are not being met as a result.
There can come a point in growing older when staying in the home you love depends on someone helping you out of bed, making a meal, or making sure you’ve taken your medication.
That care can mean holding on to your independence, to familiar surroundings, and to a life that still feels like your own.
But now, the government is using an algorithm to determine home care funding – replacing assessors’ judgment with a formula that can overlook the complexities of someone’s life. And assessors can’t override its decisions – even when they believe they’re wrong.
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Today, aged care expert Professor Kathy Eagar discusses the human consequences of handing those decisions to an algorithm, and the people whose needs are not being met as a result.
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Guest: Aged-care researcher at UNSW, Professor Kathy Eagar
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