Budget affects older people who need special care

Our organisation, Peninsula Village, as a member of Aged and Community Services Australia, the national peak body representing not-for-profit aged care providers caring for over one million frail older Australians, is standing together with our entire network to ensure frail older Australians get the care they deserve.

Our election campaign "Old, frail and invisible" highlights the significant issues impacting on them, the aged care workforce and industry sustainability.

Our residents and clients deserve better and together we can ensure that despite being old and frail, they are not invisible.

There is significant and growing concern about the impact of the 2016-17 federal budget cuts arising from changes around the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI).

These will directly impact on older people who need specialised and complex care and support in our residential aged care facilities.

There are considerable reforms being undertaken in home care, which have significant financial imposts on aged care providers during implementation.

It is vital that Transition Funding is provided as was provided for the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

It is imperative that we have a strong and well trained and educated workforce for the current and growing ageing population.

The aged care workforce has not received sufficient attention from government to ensure policy settings will provide an appropriately skilled workforce to meet the future care needs of older Australians.

For the campaign, aged care providers will be demanding a response from politicians on three key issues.

The first is to halt the impact of the 2016-17 budget cuts on vulnerable older people in residential aged care.

There should be no cuts that impact on the care of older people.

A genuine consultative review of ACFI must be undertaken including provision of evidence to support changes.

We also want government to provide a transition fund for home care to assist providers to deal with looming significant reform, improve system implementation and ensure services are available and accessible to older people.

A National Aged Services Workforce Strategy needs to be finalised and funds delivered for the development of local programs to guarantee a workforce for the future.

Email, 21 Jun 2016

Shane Neaves, Umina