Boost to Respite Care in Mandurah

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9 June 2010

Minister for Ageing Justine Elliot and Member for Brand Gary Gray toured the near-completed residential respite centre at Mandurah Retirement Village, which will provide a boost in respite care in Mandurah.

The new centre will provide 18 residential respite beds and will be the first stand-alone respite facility in Western Australia. The centre was made possible with the assistance of a $1.25 million grant from the Rural and Regional Building Fund.

Minister Elliot said: “Respite services provide valuable time-out for people who care for friends or family members with conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

“Carers play an important role, dedicating themselves to improving the quality of live for the elderly and people with disabilities that they care for.

“Caring for someone full time is physically and emotionally demanding and carers need to take a break and that is why respite services such as those at Mandurah are so important,” Minister Elliot said.

The service provides both planned and emergency respite care for people in the local area and offers clients a wide range of activities including, arts and crafts, gardening, board games, picnics and concerts.

Almost 2.6 million Australians provide care for family members or friends with a disability, mental illness, chronic condition or who are frail aged. Of these about 500,000 are primary carers – the people who provide the majority of the care.

Minister Elliot and Mr Gray also met with respite clients and their carers at the Coolibah Respite Cottage that provides overnight planned and emergency respite care. It is open every day of the year helping up to 21 carers per week and providing more than 50,000 hours of respite a year.

Mr Gray said: “I know how important this services is to families and carers and the new centre will provide an important boost local services.

“Coolibah Cottage Respite allows carers to get a well-deserved break, allowing them to go to work for a few hours, go to the shops or socialise with friends,” Mr Gray said.

The Rudd Government has provided more than $388 million to the National Respite for Carers Program (NRCP) that funds respite services across the country.

The Rudd Government is reforming Australia's health, hospitals and aged care system to provide better care and better support for older Australians and that is why the Government is continuing to invest in local health services such as new equipment and two new operating theatres for the Rockingham General Hospital.


For more information, contact Mrs Elliot's office on (02) 6277 7280