Feds step in to support older flood victims

The Department of Health and Ageing has been contacting residential and community aged care services in flood affected areas of Queensland to ensure that older clients and staff are safe.

Mark Butler, the federal minister for mental health and ageing, said the government was also taking measures to make sure aged care services continued to be delivered.

Mr Butler said a number of aged care clients had been relocated to their families, local hospitals and other locations deemed suitable by the State Emergency Service.

“Aged care staff are doing a wonderful job continuing to provide ongoing care for relocated aged care recipients, and the [department] is working with the providers to ensure residents are safe and have sufficient food, aid and medications,” he said.

The federal government has activated the Department of Health and Ageing’s National Incident Room to assist state health authorities affected by the flooding.

“Older Australians can be particularly vulnerable during natural disaster and it’s vital that we continue to support them, the dedicated staff who attend to them, and of course all Australians affected by these devastating floods,” said Mr Butler.

“We will continue to monitor this rapidly changing situation in flood-affected areas, and are working with aged care providers in Queensland and New South Wales to ensure recipients are safe”.

The federal government has also taken steps with the Pharmacy Guild to ensure that flood victims can access medicines even if they have lost their prescriptions or their Medicare card.