Senior Victorians budget update

The Department of Health Victoria has produced a summary of state Budget information, titled Senior Victorians Update. It lists:

Aged Care Land Bank Stage 5; $2.5 m for Stage 5 of the Aged Care Land Bank to provide land to not-for-profit aged care providers to develop high-care residential aged care services in inner areas suburbia.

Coleraine Hospital redevelopment; Funding of $25.8 million to redevelop the acute, primary health and aged care services at Coleraine Hospital.

Land Tax; A land tax exemption for the construction phase of retirement villages, residential aged care facilities, supported residential services and residential services for people with a disability.

Expanding the Aids and Equipment Program; The 2010–11 State Budget will provide an additional $8.3 million over four years to expand this program, so that an additional 957 people will receive aids and equipment assistance, which includes 100 children and young people. In addition to this, a further 50 people will be able to receive vehicle modifications.

An additional $66.7 million over five years for HACC services; This increase in funding will result in an additional 195,000 hours of service in 2010-11 and 400,000 delivered hours annually in subsequent years. 

1,000 additional Personal Alert Victoria (PAV) units in 2010-11; Funding of $1.2 million over two years will bring forward the delivery of an additional 1,000 PAV units in 2010-11. As funds had previously been allocated to purchase new units in 2010-11, this will bring the total number of units to be distributed to eligible Victorians to 2000 this coming year. The total number of PAV units in place by June 2011 will be 25,255.

Improved seniors information; Funding of $2.8 million over 4 years to redevelop and improve the services and information provided through the Victorian Seniors Card website. Seniors will be able to apply for a Seniors Card and change their address online, and have better access to information on Seniors Card program business supporter discounts and special offers in their locality.

Men’s Sheds; The Victorian Government will commit an extra $500,000 in 2010-11 to enable the establishment of new Men’s Sheds across Victoria.

Further information can be accessed at http://www.health.vic.gov.au/agedcare