Living Longer. Living Better.
Older Australians from Diverse Backgrounds
Ensuring older people from diverse backgrounds can access aged care services that are specific to their needs ($24.4 million)
Older Australians with diverse needs continue to find it difficult to access information and services that are sensitive to their backgrounds and circumstances.The Government is providing additional funding through the Aged Care Service Improvement and Healthy Ageing Grants Fund to improve the skills and knowledge of aged care providers to meet the care needs of diverse populations.This will include staff training, information sharing and access to expert assistance, with particular focus on the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), sexually diverse and care leaver older Australians.
Ensuring culturally appropriate quality aged care services are available for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people ($43.1 million)
Demand for access to the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care program already far outstrips supply. Currently, many older Indigenous people have to re-locate large distances from family and home to access residential aged care. Alternatively, they receive care within their community at a level that is well below what they need. With chronic renal, lung and heart disease prevalent amongst the elderly in most Indigenous remote communities, care is inadequate.The Government will provide an additional 200 aged care places under this program, on top of the 675 places already funded through the program. This will allow significantly more older Indigenous people with complex high care needs to stay close to their home and country in culturally appropriate care. Services will be located in remote communities in both existing and new facilities.
More support for veterans in Home Care packagesand residential aged care ($114.8 million)
The behaviours associated with conditions such as post traumatic stress disorder require specific support and associated funding. From 1 July 2013, the Government will introduce a new funding supplement for veterans receiving aged care through a Home Care package or residential care, who have an accepted eligible mental health condition, to ensure they receive the appropriate care.Ensuring sexual diversity does not act as a barrier to receiving high quality aged care ($2.5 million)
Many older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex Australians have experienced considerable discrimination over the course of their lives. It is important that their sexuality or gender identity are recognised and supported in delivering aged care services.The Government will support training within the aged care sector that is sensitive to the specific needs of these older Australians. Aged care providers will be better equipped with the necessary skills to address their care needs. This will help ensure that sexual diversity does not act as a barrier to receiving high quality aged care in either community or residential settings.
More assistance for older people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness ($7.3 million)
Evidence suggests that there is increasing demand from older people for housing and homelessness services. There has been a three-fold increase in rough sleepers over the past five years with people aged 55-64 and over 65 being the two age groups with the greatest percentage increase. There is a need to improve services for older people experiencing homelessness particularly in regional and remote areas where the incidence of older people who are homeless is highest.The Government will expand the Assistance with Care and Housing for the Aged program. This program links older people with suitable accommodation and care services so that they can remain in the community rather than being inappropriately admitted to residential aged care.