Sue Shearer: Federal government spending on elderly Territorians ‘a pittance’

THE amount the federal government spends on care for elderly Territorians to live at home is “disgusting” and “a pittance” compared to other parts of the country, according to a leading NT seniors advocate

THE amount the federal government spends on care for elderly Territorians to live at home is “disgusting” and “a pittance” compared to other parts of the country, according to a leading NT seniors advocate.

Council on the Ageing NT chief executive Sue Shearer made the comments in response to an interim report released by the Royal Com-mission into Aged Care Quality and Safety last month.

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The research came from a survey of more than 10,000 Australians, and found the majority of people of all ages would prefer to stay in their own home should they ever need support or care.

Ms Shearer said the NT was allocated much less funding for home care packages than other jurisdiction.

“(Aged Care) Minister Colbeck said they spent $116m. That covers supposedly every aged care package in the NT,” she said. “That is just a pittance, that is disgusting.”

Ms Shearer said the NT often missed out on essential funding for aged care services because of the smaller population.

But she said the remoteness of the NT meant more funding was actually required.

“We tend to miss out. It takes a lot more and is more expensive to deliver our services,” she said.

“There’s a gentleman out past Adelaide River with a level four care package … no one wants to go down there for one person. He’ll probably have to go to the Royal Darwin Hospital.

“Economic status or your postcode should not dictate what sort of care you get.”

The interim report also found most people had a negative view of life in aged care facilities, with the report saying: “They think the residents are often lonely, do not have control over their lives and are not happy.”

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An NT Department of Health spokesman said the Territory had a shortage of private sector residential aged care services compared to the rest of Australia.

“The funding formula the commonwealth applied to aged care funding is based on the availability of services.”