As part of a $347 million national announcement Senator Kate Lundy has welcomed the announcement of an additional $74,000 in Community Care Grants for the ACT.
In addition, a further $80,000 in Flexible Care Grants will be allocated to the ACT.
The Community Care and Flexible Care Grants will help to establish new community and flexible services for groups with special needs. This would enable, for example, the purchase of essential equipment such as office equipment or motor vehicles or providing funds for staff recruitment.
Under the latest Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) the ACT has received 84 new aged care places to care for frail older Australians.
The aged care services include new residential aged care places – two-thirds of them high care places – and community care places will be provided to aged care facilities and community care services.
The Rudd Government has also allocated a record $51 million in capital grants – the largest single capital grant allocation by any Australian Government since the Aged Care Act came into effect in 1997.
“This funding reaffirms the Australian Government’s commitment to assisting those who are most vulnerable in our community, without a one size fits all model,” Senator Lundy said.
“Older Australians have told the Government that they wish to remain independent, in their own homes and in their communities. Community care services help many people stay at home instead of moving prematurely into a residential aged care facility.”
The ACT has also received:
• 54 Community Aged Care Packages that provide support services for older people with care needs living at home. They are designed as an alternative to low care residential aged care.
• 17 Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) packages which deliver care in people’s own homes equivalent to high care residential aged care, including the provision of nursing care; and
• 5 Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia (EACHD) packages for people who experience behaviours of concern and psychological symptoms associated with dementia.
The new community care places are in addition to the Home and Community Care (HACC) services provided to elderly and disabled people through the $1.2 billion in Australian Government funding that will be provided to the states and territories for 2009-10.
In April this year the ACT received an increase in funding for the Home Community Care Program of approximately $86 million over three years, an increase in annual funding from over $26 million in 2008-09 to over $31 million by 2010-11.
Additional information on the 2008-2009 Aged Care Approvals Round is available at http://www.health.gov.au/acar2008-2009
Decisions on aged care places are made independently by the Department of Health and Ageing. The aim of the process is to ensure that the allocation of aged care places best meets the identified needs of the community.
Media contact: Annika Hutchins 0407 458 882
