ALP promises more funding for extra aged care
Labor Opposition leader, Kevin Rudd Labor has promised extra funding to help older Australians waiting on hospital wards to get an aged care bed or return home sooner.
Mr Rudd made the promises as he launched ‘New Directions for
Older Australians’.
A total of $158 million will be allocated over the next five years to create up to 2,000 transition care beds for older Australians who are currently waiting in hospital beds for an aged care bed and allow others to return to their home.
Federal Labor will also provide $300 million of loans at zero real
interest rates to aged care providers to make up to 2,500 permanent residential aged care beds available to older Australians sooner.
Federal Labor’s plan will make the move from hospital to residential
aged care a priority for those older Australians who – more
appropriately for their care – need a bed in a nursing home.
Mr Rudd said Federal Labor’s investment will:
. Relieve the pressure off our hospitals, thus allowing the states and territories to reinvest these savings and efficiencies back into
improved hospital services for Australians
. Create up to 2,000 more transition care beds for older Australians
. Allow aged care providers to deliver up to 2,500 additional permanent residential aged care beds sooner than otherwise.
Parts of the plan have been welcomed by national organisations. Aged and Community Services Australia, the peak non profit organisation, welcomed the transition promises as a “worthwhile investment” and also the promises for further fine tuning of the aged care system.
The Australian Nursing Federation also welcomed the promises to expand loan funds for extra beds and respite facilities, and the transition arrangements. However, they want to see more plans to address the problems of an ageing workforce.
