Cade Lucas
Wyndham council will cease providing aged care services by the end of this year, a change which will affect 700 elderly residents and result in job losses.
The changes, which will come into effect on December 31, have been made in response to the federal government’s upcoming reforms to the way aged care services are funded and delivered.
By moving from a direct service to an assisted service model, council run programs will be shutdown and replaced by the 120 aged care providers currently operating in Wyndham.
Among the council services set to go are home maintenance and modifications, cleaning and household chore assistance, personal care such as showering and dressing, community social activities, respite for carers, delivered meals, Lunch with the Bunch, 121 transport and community transport.
Job losses are expected and it’s believed some employees have already been informed that they will be made redundant come the end of the year.
Wyndham mayor Jennie Barrera, said council was working closely with affected residents to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.
“We are committed to assisting these residents and their families or carers understand and navigate these changes,” Cr Barrera said.
“Council will continue offering these services until the end of 2024 to give current clients ample time to move to a new provider.”
Cr Barrera said the changes reflected the results of community consultation on aged care in Wyndham, which showed residents didn’t have a preferred provider out of council, community agencies or the private sector.
“The results also showed that 29 per cent of respondents want council to prioritise helping older residents to understand the aged care system and connect them to services; and 26 per cent want council to support aged care service providers expand their services across Wyndham,” she said, adding that council would still provide support to elderly residents.
“As we transition out of delivering these services, council will strengthen our role in sector support, advocacy and support for the aged care community. We will do this by increasing our investment in the Community Connector Program, which provides residents with access to the information, support and services that they need, when and where they need them, helping to ensure that no one falls through the gaps.”
For more information, go to www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/aged-care-ndis-reforms
