17-September-2007
Goldstein Media Releases, Health, Funding
Two aged care service providers have been awarded aged care funding worth $429,730 to help older Australians in the bayside area to continue living in their own homes.
Mayflower Retirement Community in East Brighton has received 25 Community Aged Care Packages each worth around $12,278 per year whilst Family Touch Home Care Services in McKinnon received 10 packages. These packages provide services to those who require care but want to remain living independently.
“Many older people in bayside want to remain living independently in their homes but require some specialist care services or domestic assistance in order to do so,” Andrew Robb, Federal Member for Goldstein said.
“These packages allow people to receive individually tailored, professional care in their homes. It provides local residents with choice about their aged care requirements and peace of mind for families with elderly relatives living on their own,” Andrew Robb said.
“I have worked with Mayflower and Family Touch and have been impressed with their commitment to professional, quality and compassionate care for elderly people in the bayside community,
“I congratulate them on their outstanding applications and wish them luck in the provision of these new services,” Andrew Robb said.
“The Howard Government has worked hard to improve aged care services in our community. In 1996, there were no accreditation standards, no unannounced visits to facilities and few choices for older people as to the type of care they received.
“It was simply not good enough for our seniors and I’m pleased that aged care funding in Australia has leapt from $3.1 billion in 1996 to $8.6 billion in 2007.
“By funding Community Aged Care Packages, older residents now have the choice, and support, to be able to stay in their own homes for longer. In addition, increased funding and accreditation to residential care has provided senior Australians with greater choice and confidence in residential care,” Andrew Robb said.
The balance of the 2007 allocations, in the form of residential aged care places and capital grants, is expected to be announced before the end of the calendar year.
Details of the new community care allocations are available at www.health.gov.au/acar2007
Media contact: Megan Cox 9557 4644 / 0414 492 674