|
|
|
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
| SEARCH | SUBSCRIBE | ||
Support Global Action on Aging!
|
 |
Quality
of Life for Older Australians
Australian Department of Health and AgingMay
13, 2003
The quality of life for Australia’s ageing population will be enhanced by a number of measures in the Federal Ageing Budget. Community care programs which provide aged care services to people in their own homes, including Home and Community Care and Community Aged Care Packages, will receive increased funding. Aged Care Assessment Teams will also receive more funding to assess people’s health needs for care services. Support to carers is a Commonwealth Government priority. The National Respite for Carers Program will continue to receive funding for the Enhanced Respite Care Services for Dementia and Challenging Behaviours. There will be continued funding for the 65 Commonwealth Carelink Centres across the country which provide information about the wide range of support services available, including eligibility, assessment processes and costs. Extra aged care places in rural Australia will be funded through the Multi-Purpose Service Program. And pre-1 October 1997 nursing home residents who choose to move to another facility will continue to not be required to pay the accommodation charge. Increased
Community Care Funding
Commonwealth Government funding for community care programs will continue to grow in 2003-2004. Older people want to stay at home for as long as possible, and the Commonwealth Government is providing more care services and support in private homes and community settings. Home and Community Care (HACC) program funding will increase by $58.3 million or 8.6 per cent, which is significantly greater than the estimated increase in the population of frail aged and disabled people. Funding for Community Aged Care Packages (CACPs) – which provide personal and nursing care to people in their own homes – will increase by $17.0 million or 6.2 per cent. Aged Care Assessment Teams (ACATs) will receive a 10.5 per cent increase in funding next financial year. This includes an additional $2.5 million in 2003-2004 to assist the Teams to comprehensively assess the needs of frail older people and facilitate their access to aged care services. Funding for the National Respite for Carers Program will increase by seven per cent in 2003-2004, to support carers who provide for family members. The Commonwealth Government has also reaffirmed its commitment to the Enhanced Respite Care Services for Dementia and Challenging Behaviours Initiative, providing funding of $90.7 million over four years. This will continue to allow family carers to take a much needed break. Provision for this funding has been included in the forward estimates. 100 Extra
Aged Care Places in Rural Australia
Over the past 10 years the Multi-Purpose Service (MPS) Program has helped rural Australians access aged care services, particularly in small communities. The Program already operates 1725 flexible aged care places, in 78 locations, across the country. The Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments jointly fund Mulit-Purpose Services. The 100 extra aged care places, which were initially allocated in the 1999-2000 Federal Budget, are helping small rural communities continue to support residents who require residential aged care. Provision for the funding has been included in the forward estimates. Extended
Funding for Commonwealth Carelink Centres
Funding will continue at a level of $65 million over the next four years for the 65 Commonwealth Carelink Centres across Australia. The Carelink Centres provide information about the wide range of community aged care, disability and other support services available, including information about eligibility, assessment processes and costs. Provision for this funding has been included in the forward estimates. Pre-1 October
1997 Nursing Home Residents
The Commonwealth Government will provide $11.7 million over the next four years to continue to ensure access for pre-1 October 1997 nursing home residents who move to another high care place. To ensure that they are not financially disadvantaged, residential aged care providers will continue to be compensated for such new residents. Feasibility
Study on Competition Issues Relating to the Commonwealth Hearing Services
Program
Under the Commonwealth Hearing Services Program, certain categories of clients are assisted by the government provider, Australian Hearing (AH), under Community Service Obligations (CSO) because of their special needs. Earmarked funding for this purpose is provided to AH through the Hearing Services Program. These clients include children and young adults under 21 years of age, eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, eligible clients with complex rehabilitation needs and eligible clients in remote areas. The Office of Hearing Services, within the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, administers the CSO funding to Australian Hearing under a Service Level Agreement. The Commonwealth Government is responding to approaches from various stakeholders seeking agreement to allow over 20 year olds to be seen by Australian Hearing on a user-pays basis. The Office of Hearing Services will engage a consultant to conduct a feasibility study into opening up the Commonwealth Hearing Services Program to greater competition. The study, to be completed by the end of December 2003, will examine the capacity and interest of the private sector in providing CSOs to certain special needs groups, including children and young adults under 21 years of age. Client
Contributions for Hearing Device Maintenance
The Commonwealth Hearing Services Program provides subsidised hearing assessments and hearing devices for children and eligible clients, including Pensioner Concession Card and Repatriation Health Card holders. After receiving hearing devices, eligible clients may choose to enter into maintenance agreements with their service providers for the provision of batteries, maintenance and repairs for hearing devices. The client pays a maintenance fee of $31.50 annually (including GST of $1.50) to the service provider for the maintenance agreement. The Office of Hearing Services, within the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, pays service providers a maintenance subsidy of up to $152.25. The maintenance fee paid by clients has not increased since it was last indexed in the 1999-2000 Federal Budget. Clients’ contributions to maintenance will be increased annually in line with the increase in the Consumer Price Index with effect from 1 July 2003. This indexation will result in the client’s contribution being increased 80 cents (GST inclusive) in 2003-2004. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs will continue paying the client contribution to maintenance for veterans.
(These figures include all impact of measure including Health Savings and DVA additional costs) Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
|
