AN overhaul of the aged-care sector will benefit more than 15,000 seniors living in Melbourne’s outer west, says Prime Minister and Lalor MP Julia Gillard.
After the long-awaited legislation passed the lower house this month, Ms Gillard said the $3.7 billion package would provide a huge boost to Wyndham aged-care services, which are increasingly under pressure from an ageing population.
She said there would be increased home-care services and a wider range of choices for older residents.
“I know that a lot of older people would prefer to stay in their own home for as long as they can. Our reforms will almost double the number of home-care packages available in our local community over the next five years.”
Ms Gillard said the reforms were part of a 10-year plan to build a more sustainable and nationally consistent aged-care system.
It will provide tens of thousands of “in-home care packages” to elderly people, essentially providing funds for seniors to be cared for at home as opposed to living in an aged-care facility.
Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, the opposition’s spokeswoman for ageing, criticised the government for rushing through its response to a Productivity Commission report “in the last days of the Gillard government”.
She said the wage rises for residential care workers were unfunded, and the changes would drive up costs for operators.
Werribee resident Ray Cody, 79, can support himself and doesn’t need in-home help, but said he would be grateful for the choice if things got tougher.
“I remember the days that once a person got to 60, they were ancient and they couldn’t live by themselves,” he said.
“I’ve been retired 20 years now and I’m still going all right and doing the things I want to do.’’
Mr Cody said the improvement in home care packages seemed a “better idea”. “My mother’s 100 and she’s living at home with relatives. I know quite a few like that. Lots of people are happier at home.”
Council on the Ageing Victoria’s chief executive Sue Hendy said the reforms would bring a major restructure of the aged-care system, marking the “beginning of a commitment to age better”.
“This is the combination of a number of years’ work, and we were very scared the work might disappear with the election process.
‘‘On the whole, it’s great-looking stuff but, as always, the devil is in the detail.”
