Alzheimer’s Australia welcomes Family First’s community care election

Alzheimer’s Australia has welcomed the billion dollar boost for community care services proposed by Family First.

Glenn Rees, national executive director, Alzheimer’s Australia said that “revolutionary changes would be needed to expand community care services if people with dementia were to have the real choice of staying at home for longer. In particular, there is a need to expand the number of care packages for those with high care needs”.

“Currently only about 10% of all Australian Government funded
care packages are for those with high care needs. The introduction of targeted high care packages for people with dementia by the Australian Government in 2005 was a great step forward, but more packages are needed over the next three years, as the number of people with dementia increases.

“The major parties should recognise, as Family First has done, the importance of community care in supporting Australians with significant care needs to remain at home.”