The State and Commonwealth Governments have announced a $39.8 million boost for home and community care services throughout Queensland.
Queensland Disability Services Minister Curtis Pitt and Commonwealth Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler said the extra funding will help more people to live independently in their own communities.
Mr Pitt and State Member for Ashgrove Kate Jones unveiled details of the extra funding at a visit to Blue Care Ashgrove today.
“This is great news for older Queenslanders and people with a disability,” Mr Pitt said.
“It means extra resources for hundreds of organisations delivering vital home and community care services throughout Queensland.
“From Cairns to Coolangatta, these organisations provide care and services which make a real difference to people’s quality of life, and we’re pleased to be providing this extra support.”
Ms Jones said Queensland has around 800 home and community care service providers delivering crucial services to over 170,000 Queenslanders.
“These are important services which include domestic assistance, personal care, social support, home modifications, transport, and respite care,” she said.
“They’re the sorts of things that can be the difference between someone remaining in their own community among family and friends or moving to residential care.
“I’ve seen first-hand the positive difference organisations like Blue Care Ashgrove make to individuals and to their families.
“And they can count on the Bligh Government to keep delivering better services and more care in communities throughout Queensland.”
Mr Butler said the $39.8 million funding boost is part of the joint State-Commonwealth Home and Community Care (HACC) program worth $523 million to Queensland in 2011-12.
“I’ve met with more than 4,000 older Australians since the release of the Productivity Commission’s Final Report, Caring for Older Australians and the overwhelming message I’m hearing is that they want to live out their later years in their own homes for as long as possible, if not for the rest of their lives,” Mr Butler said.
“Older Australians want to age with the dignity and respect to which they’ve been accustomed, and access to high quality care in their own home will allow them to continue to lead healthy, independent and productive lives.”
The HACC program was established in 1985 and has grown from around $150 million in 1985 to a $2 billion national program in 2011-12, supporting more than 800,000 Australians to remain in their homes.
For more information about Home and Community Care in Queensland, see http://www.communities.qld.gov.au/disability or phone the National Aged Care information line on 1800 200 422.
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