$863k Funding Boost for Home and Community Care in the NT

View by date:

• April
  • January
  • February
  • March
  • April
  • May
  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October
  • November
  • December

• 2009
  • 2013
  • 2012
  • 2011
  • 2010
  • 2009
  • 2008
  • 2007
  • 2006
  • 2005
  • 2004

PDF printable version of $863k Funding Boost for Home and Community Care in the NT (PDF 20 KB)

14 April 2009

The Minister for Ageing, Mrs Justine Elliot, and Northern Territory Minister for Senior Territorians, Ms Malarndirri McCarthy today announced an extra $863,000 for Home and Community Care (HACC) services in the Northern Territory.

The additional funding is part of a three-year plan for (HACC) in the NT, which will see the Territory, receive more than $36 million over the next three years.

HACC delivers affordable and accessible care to help meet the individual needs of older people, and their carers.

This includes help with household chores, home maintenance and modification, transport, meals, personal care and allied health and nursing care.

The Northern Territory will receive joint funding of $11.05 million in 2008-09, of which the Australian Government will contribute $7.59 million and the Northern Territory Government $3.46 million.

HACC is a joint Australian and NT Government initiative that helps frail older people, younger people with a disability and their carers – by providing them with support to help them remain independent and in their own homes.

Mrs Elliot said: “We are constantly reminded that as people age they want to remain independent and in their own homes and communities. Without Home and Community Care services many people would have to move prematurely into residential care.”

“HACC services include domestic help, home maintenance, delivered meals, personal care and social support to assist both frail older and younger people with a disability to remain living in the community.

“It will benefit older and disabled people in our community who require some assistance with everyday living,” Mrs Elliot said.

Ms McCarthy said there was a growing need in the NT to provide basic support services at home and in the community.

“The Northern Territory has unique aged and community care challenges – remote communities and a diverse population,” Ms McCarthy said.

“This service provides vital services to seniors and people with disabilities, and their carers.

“The three-year plan will help make transport available services in remote areas and for respite care, particularly for the culturally and linguistically diverse community of the NT,” Ms McCarthy said.

Today’s announcement complements the more than 700 community care places in the Northern Territory funded by the Australian Government.

The Northern Territory is the only place in Australia where there are more community care places than nursing home ones. In the NT, there are only five aged care providers and 15 separate services providing 465 residential care places.

Overall, in 2008-09, the Australian Government would invest $64 million in aged and community care in the Northern Territory. That is an 11.8 per cent increase over the previous year’s expenditure in the NT.

Over the next four years (from 2008-09), the Australian Government will provide $285 million to the NT to support aged and community care.

For more information, contact Mrs Elliot’s Office on (02) 6277 7280 or Ms McCarthy’s Office on 08 8901 4072