NEW AGED CARE PACKAGE FOR SENIORS

Tuesday, 10 December 2019

The Morrison Government is delivering for senior Australians through a $537 million funding investment, responding to the three priority areas identified in the Aged Care Royal Commission Interim Report.

Luke Howarth MP, Federal Member for Petrie welcomed the major funding boost, which will   deliver 10,000 new home care packages, improve medication management for aged care residents with dementia and facilitate getting younger people out of residential aged care.

“Delivering quality aged care is a priority for people in Petrie so I’m very pleased the Australian Government is providing more support in these three priority areas identified by the Aged Care Royal Commission,” Mr Howarth said.

“This year I’ve been out to visit Palm Lake Resort in Deception Bay, Lodges on George in Kippa-Ring, Arcare in North Lakes, Aveo in Bridgeman Downs, Tricare Compton Gardens in Aspley and Youngcare in North Lakes and they will all benefit as a result of the interim report.

“With so many senior facilities in my electorate, families want the confidence knowing their loved ones will be treated with dignity and respect when they need care and I am committed to delivering that for people in my local area.

The funding package includes the following measures:

  • investing $496.3 million for an additional 10,000 home care packages
  • providing $25.5 million to improve medication management programs to reduce the use of medication as a chemical restraint on aged care residents and at home, and new restrictions and education for prescribers on the use of medication as a chemical restraint
  • delivering $10 million for additional dementia training and support for aged care workers and providers, including to reduce the use of chemical restraint; and
  • investing $4.7 million to help meet new targets to remove younger people with disabilities from residential aged care.

“These 10,000 new packages will be rolled out from 1 December 2019 and will help more seniors to live in their own homes for longer. The additional packages are strongly weighted towards people with highest needs, as recommended by the Royal Commission,” said Mr Howarth.

“There is a concerning over-reliance on the use of chemical restraint in aged care. To reduce the inappropriate prescribing of anti-psychotic drugs we will be providing nearly 200,000 more medication management reviews, plus delivering more education and training to aged care workers to better manage dementia patients so that restraint is only ever used as a last resort.

“Under the package announced today, the Morrison Government will implement targets to end the flow of younger people under age 65 of entering residential aged care by 2022 and assist in ensuring that no people under the age of 65 are living in residential aged care by 2025, except in exceptional circumstances,” Minister Robert said.

Full details of the Government’s Aged Care Royal Commission Interim Report response package is available at https://www.pm.gov.au/media/response-aged-care-royal-commission-interim-report