Aged care boost

MAJOR aged care reforms announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard have been praised by Fraser Coast carers and retirement villages.

There are fears about cuts to aged care facilities. Picture: Alexandru Kacso

MAJOR aged care reforms announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard yesterday have been praised by Fraser Coast carers and retirement villages who say it is a light at the end of the tunnel for the region's aging population.

Torbay Retirement Village chief executive Philip Parry watched the announcement with anticipation yesterday and said the $3.7 billion package was both surprising and encouraging.

The reform package means Fraser Coast retirees who need care will be able to stay in their homes for longer.

The package includes a $60,000 cap on cost of care at residential care facilities over a lifetime and a $25,000 cap each year.

Home care will be capped at $10, 000 for self-funded retirees and $5000 for pensioners.

With Hinkler to become the most dementia-prevalent electorate in Queensland by 2030, Mr Parry welcomed a $270 million payment for dementia care and diagnosis.

"It's good to see it has been recognised," he said.

"We just need to see where the money is going."

Mr Parry and Torbay staff will spend the next two days going over the package and will especially be looking for a wage increase for aged-care workers.

"That is really critical, is getting the right people to work in aged care," he said.

He considers one off the greatest benefits to be the rise in money to pay for supported residence.

Mr Parry said he was relieved the reforms would not affect current aged-care residents, and the package encouraged Torbay to continue with plans to build 24 new places in its Parklands facility.

Blue Care Fraser Coast community manager Wendy Russell said the reforms were a positive step for improving quality aged care.

"The reforms will ensure a better future for the aging community on the Fraser Coast as people will be able to choose how they want to age with the option to stay in their own home for as long as possible," she said.

Ms Russell said she would assess the reform package in detail over the coming days.

She said she looked forward to planning its implementation on the Fraser Coast.

"Many of the reform recommendations we have been lobbying for have been taken up including an independent financing authority, better support for aged care workers and extra funding for in-home care," she said.

Hervey Bay was one of only three places across Australia last year to host National Seniors Australia aged-care forums that formed a major part of the NSA's submissions to the Productivity Commission inquiry.

The new reform package is the Federal Government's response to the Productivity Commission's Caring for Older Australians report, released in August last year.

A My Aged Care website will also be launched.

Aged care package

$54.8 million in funding for carers.

Establishment of Aged Care Financing Authority that will approve accommodation charges.

Task force to face staff shortages.

Originally published as Aged care boost