New community focused aged care packages announced
The Minister for Ageing, Mr Christopher Pyne, has announced the allocation of almost 4,000 new aged care places to help older people continue living in their own homes.
The allocations include over 3,300 community care places, in the form of Community Aged Care Packages (CACPs)and Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) packages, that will provide the equivalent of both low and high level residential aged care services to people – but in their own homes.
More than 670 EACH Dementia (EACHD) packages, which provide the equivalent of high level residential care for frail older people with dementia who wish to, and are able to continue to live at home, have been allocated.
Over 2,400 places will provide for people with special needs, including almost 1,500 places in regional, rural and remote areas.
Overall, the new places are worth $98.5 million a year, and $1.8 million in grants have also been allocated to community care providers.
The Government has increased the aged care planning benchmark from 108 to 113 places provided for every 1,000 people over 70 years or over, with the community care component increasing from 20 to 25 places by June 2011.
Following a competitive assessment of applicants, the department has allocated the new aged care places to providers best able to demonstrate their ability to provide quality aged care services to the ageing community within particular regions.
The balance of the 2007 allocations, in the form of residential aged care places and capital grants, are expected to be announced before the end of the calendar year.
www.health.gov.au/acar2007
