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Previous Ministers

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13 May 2005
JB055/05

The Federal Minister for Ageing, Julie Bishop, today released details of the allocation of the 2,000 new dementia-specific Extended Aged Care at Home places announced in this week’s Federal Budget.

Extended Aged Care at Home (EACH) places are an innovation introduced by the Howard Government to provide older Australians with high level care needs the choice to remain living in their own home, rather than entering residential aged care.

In Tuesday’s Budget Treasurer Peter Costello announced dementia would be made an Australian Government National Health Priority, supported with a $320 million package of initiatives to increase research, education and treatment for people with dementia and their carers. This is on top of the $2.6 billion the Australian Government currently provides each year in support for people with dementia and their carers.

The new Budget package includes $225.1 million for 2,000 dementia-specific EACH places.

"As a result of the Budget, 667 dementia-specific EACH places will be made available in 2005, in addition to the 900 general EACH places and 4,300 Community Aged Care Packages, which provide low level aged care services delivered in a person’s own home, which have already been made available for release in 2005," Ms Bishop said.

"This will mean the Australian Government will allocate more than 12,000 new community and residential aged care places in 2005, as part more an estimated 26,600 new aged care places to be available over the next three years.

"Compare this with the 10,000 aged care place shortage left by the former Labor Government."

Dementia - a National Health Priority will support people with dementia and their carers through increased dementia research, primary care, early intervention, education and awareness and workforce training initiatives.

A state and territory breakdown of the new dementia-specific EACH places is attached.

Media contact: Rachael Thompson 0417 265 289

Details of new aged care places made available for 2005-06 to 2007-08

State or Territory	2005-06				2006-07*	2007-08*
	Residential	CACP**	EACH***	EACH Dementia
NSW	2,030	1,314	305	225	2,084	2,191
Victoria	863	1,127	225	166	1,432	1,620
Queensland	1,410	923	150	115	1,334	1,140
Western Australia	300	459	80	58	550	565
South Australia	290	339	75	58	473	559
Tasmania	126	90	25	20	165	166
ACT	185	40	20	15	110	84
Northern Territory	20	10	20	10	45	41
Sub-Total	5,224	4,302	900	667	6,193	6,366
National Pool	1,000				1,000	1,000
TOTAL	12,093				7,193	7,366
3-year total 2005-2008			26,652

* The out-year figures in this table are indicative only. There may be some variations in these indicative figures in future years due to possible revised annual population projections and the actual rate at which previously allocated places become operational.
** Community Aged Care Packages provide the equivalent of low level hostel care delivered to people in their own home.
*** Extended Aged Care at Home packages provide the equivalent of high level nursing home care delivered to people in their own home.