Page 463 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 13 March 2007
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In our 2006-07 budget the ACT government committed funding to match the Australian government’s offer with a total of $3.1 million to be provided over four years. The funding component from the Australian government will be a specific purpose payment outside the current Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement. At the end of five years, and subject to performance requirements being met, funds will be rolled into an ongoing disability funding agreement such as the Commonwealth State Territory Disability Agreement, matched at the fifth year level.
There are currently four people aged 50 or under and 10 people aged between 51 and 55 in residential aged care in the ACT. There are a further 41 people between the ages of 56 and 65 in residential aged care facilities. These facilities are not designed to facilitate the active involvement of younger residents with high clinical needs in everyday activities or to support their continued participation in the life of their community.
Many of these younger residents are socially isolated with limited contact with families, peers and the general community. They have limited, if any, opportunity to engage in the long-term, slow-paced physical rehabilitation they may require. They have no opportunity to aspire to and plan for a life beyond the routine of the facility within which they live.
In these circumstances there is no doubt that the quality of life for younger people living in residential aged care facilities, and particularly those aged less than 50 years, is severely impaired. So, in line with the COAG agreement and in accordance with relevant legislation and national disability services standards, the ACT program will prioritise the needs of people aged less than 50 through three service interventions.
First, six young people will be assisted to move out of residential aged care to more appropriate community-based accommodation. This may include assisting them to return, with support services and equipment, to their family home or shared community accommodation.
The second element of the program is the development of improved services for approximately eight younger residents who, for whatever reason, remain living in residential aged care. This may be in the form of support to engage within the community, to rebuild or maintain family relationships, to learn or relearn skills or to explore alternatives in a planned way.
The third component of the program seeks to reduce the future admission of younger people with disabilities to residential aged care. A further four people will be provided with additional support services needed to prevent their early entry to residential aged care.
The implementation plan anticipates that a minimum of 18 people will be directly assisted through this program. The proposed target for this program is a net reduction of three to five people under 65 living in residential aged care in the ACT over the five-year period of the program.
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