New funding arrangement for Tasmanian home care services

The Minister for Ageing, Senator Santo Santoro, and the Tasmanian Minister for Health and Human Services, Lara Giddings, have announced an increase in home care services for the elderly and people with disabilities.

The additional Home and Community Care (HACC) services for Tasmania include personal care, domestic assistance and community transport services.

The ministers said Tasmania’s HACC program funding for 2006-07 would increase to $41.9 million, which is an 8.9% increase. The program supports people with disabilities, frail aged people, and their carers to remain in their own homes by providing basic maintenance and support services in the home.

The scheme has a target population of more than 52,000 clients, covering all regions of the state.

“State-wide consultations were held to develop the 2006-07 HACC priorities of personal care, domestic assistance, community transport, volunteering and special needs groups,” Ms Giddings said.