$1.8m funding boost for home and community care in the ACT
The ACT’s older people, people with a disability, and their carers, will benefit from the $1.8 million funding boost for Home and Community Care (HACC) services announced by the Minister for Ageing, Senator Santo Santoro, and the ACT Minister for Health, Katy Gallagher.
Total HACC funding available in the ACT for 2006-07 will be $22.5 million, an increase of almost 8.5% over funding in 2005-06.
Minister Gallagher said that in response to the Access Improvement Program: Improving the Older Patient’s Journey, funding had been provided to Community Options ACT Inc to deliver up to eight weeks of support at home following hospitalisation.
Examples of the services to benefit from the new funding include HandyHelp ACT Inc which will expand its home maintenance services and Home Help Service ACT Inc which will provide additional domestic assistance and personal care, and Northside Community Service Inc which will expand its Choice Care program with additional domestic assistance and personal care.
The Northside shopping bus program will also expand in response to demand and Belconnen Community Service Inc will increase its community transport social support program to assist clients with shopping and friendly visiting.
Three pilot programs which will now receive recurrent funding are the Extended Home Visitors service provided by the Australian Red Cross ACT; the rural program supporting clients in Tharwa and surrounds coordinated by Woden Community Service; and the Dementia Links program at Alzheimers Australia ACT.
Funding has also been provided to Woden Community Service ACT Inc to purchase a 12-seat community transport bus, and the Alzheimer’s Australia ACT Friday Singing Group will receive additional social support.
