PDF printable version of Care at home and in the community boosted by more than $1.4million (PDF 42 KB)
27 August 2008
Joint Release
The Hon Justine Elliot MP
Minister for Ageing
The Hon Jim McGinty
Western Australian Minister for Health
Federal Minister for Ageing Mrs Justine Elliot today announced home and community care services for the elderly and people with disabilities in Western Australia had received an additional $1.4 million.
Home and Community Care (HACC) services in WA are jointly funded by the Australian Government and the State Government.
WA Health Minister Jim McGinty welcomed the announcement and said the increase meant funding for HACC services in WA had reach a record of more than $166 million for the 2007-2008 calendar year.
The additional funding was agreed on before the WA State election was called – prior to caretaker arrangements being put in place.
This figure will continue to grow with more than $180 million allocated to the services in 2008-2009.
Through the HACC program, more than 200 service providers across Western Australia help support older people, younger people with a disability, and their carers by providing community care assistance ranging from centre-based day-care and respite care services to home modifications and help with transport.
The additional funding is allocated for:
- purchasing vehicles to provide transport for social support;
- providing additional social support services;
- providing additional home maintenance; and
- upgrades to kitchens for meal service providers.
Mrs Elliot said the extra funding would mean that more services would be made available across Western Australia for older people and younger people with a disability and their carers.
“The increase in funding will help more people to maintain their independence by continuing to live within their community and in their own homes, as most people wish to do,” the Minister said.
“These funds will help some services upgrade their current kitchen equipment and other services to provide additional transport services.”
Mr McGinty emphasised the important role that HACC funded agencies played in providing support services and strengthening communities across Western Australia.
“It is important that we continue to expand services that care for people in their later years and people with disabilities,” Mr McGinty said.
“Many of these people would find it difficult to maintain their independence without the help of HACC.”
WA Home and Community Care facts
In 2007-08 the Home and Community Care program received $1.65 billion nationally, with $1.006 billion of the total contributed by the Australian Government and the remainder coming from the States and Territories.
WA received joint funding of $166.39 million, of which almost $100.98 million was contributed by the Australian Government and $65.41 million by the WA Government.
That figure will grow by $14.27 million in 2008-09 to $180.656million with the Federal Government contributing $109.64 million and the State Government $71.02 million.
In 2006-2007, about 801,000 people across Australia received Home and Community Care services.
The HACC program helped more than 64,000people in WA during 2006-07 - just over three per cent of the State’s population.
Over the next four years, the Australian Government will provide a record $40billion nationally to residential and home and community care; of which $11.4 billion goes to home and community care.
WA residential aged care facts
In WA there are 252 operational residential aged care services providing care to more than 13,400 residents.
The share of for-profit residential services in WA is the second highest behind Victoria. About 29 per cent of aged care homes belong to the for-profit sector, compared with the national average of some 28 per cent.
Over the 10 years to June 2007, WA aged care providers received a cumulative total of about $3.5 billion in residential care subsidy payments. Over the next five years from 2007-08 to 2011-12, cumulative total payments to WA will be about $2.9 billion.
Over the next four years from 2008-09 to 2011-12, total Commonwealth subsidy payments to WA will be about $2.4 billion. In 2008-09 alone, WA aged care providers will receive about $547 million, which represents an increase of about 6.3 per cent in the payment per resident, compared with 2007-08.
Media contacts: Minister Elliot’s office - 02 6277 7280
Minister McGinty’s office Astrid Serventy - (08) 9422 3000 or 0407 383 117
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