Labor pledges $20 million to support active ageing

Election 2013: Rudd announces active ageing grants and support for stroke care. In the absence of comprehensive aged care policy announcements, NACA ramps up its lobbying by launching its ‘end the aged care lottery’ campaign.

Election 2013: National aged care alliance launches its election campaign

A re-elected Labor government has promised $20 million in active ageing grants to support the wellbeing of older Australians, while the aged care sector still waits for comprehensive aged care policies to be announced.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said on Monday the money would be available to community organisations and local governments to foster healthy ageing initiatives focusing on exercise, recreation, nutrition and independent living.

While the announcement lacked any further detail, Mr Rudd said the aim was to allow seniors to stay engaged and connected to their communities.

The funding is provided within the Aged Care Service Improvement and Healthy Ageing Grants Fund and is accounted for in the budget.

Mr Rudd also announced $50 million to fund 61 stroke care co-ordinators through Medicare Locals.

NACA’s new campaign 

Meanwhile, to help ramp up attention on the aged care sector, the National Aged Care Alliance has launched its ‘End the Aged Care Lottery’ campaign calling on all political parties to commit to an entitlement system.

Forty organisations including the major industry and consumer peak bodies, providers, unions and academics have united behind the campaign, which pushes for the abolition of the aged care rationing system.

NACA said older people are waiting too long to receive care at home or are being forced to move long distances in order to access an aged care bed.

CEO of Alzheimer’s Australia Glenn Rees said it was unacceptable that Australia’s aged care system was not driven by need.

“The system is rationed so that today only 116 of every 1,000 head of population over the age of 70 get the care and services they need. If you are number 117 or 118 you miss out.

“Recent reforms will lift that to 125, but what happens to numbers 126 and beyond? We still have a system which can’t provide care for all who need it.”

He said without universal access, older people were moving into residential care prematurely or being cared for in a hospital bed because there was no other alternative.

Adj Prof John Kelly, CEO of ACSA said at least a third of older people requiring care wait more than three months to get it. 

“Providers of aged care services are put in a position where they have to constantly turn older people in need away as they are forced to operate in a system that can’t keep up with demand.”

Professor Tracey McDonald of the Australian Catholic University said access to aged care services should be the same as accessing health or income support.

“People aren’t expected to wait three months to visit a GP or to access the aged care pension,” Prof McDonald said. 

Lee Thomas, Federal Secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said while the federal government has implemented some of the Productivity Commission’s recommendations it failed to end the rationing of services.

NACA is calling for the next government to:

  • Provide a level of resources for eligible individuals to meet their needs however they choose to do so – in their own home or a residential care home
  • Remove the current regulatory restrictions on the quantity and type of services providers can offer. This could be introduced gradually with an initial focus on freeing up the provision of home-based and community care.
  • Commit to an independent cost of care study 
Tags: election-2013, naca, positive ageing, reform,

Leave a Reply