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Changes stemming from a review of Tauranga health services which older people receive at home and in the community are expected to be implemented by July 2013.
Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew made the announcement about improving the services at a Better At Home Expo in Tauranga today.
“My aim is to assist in building a society where older people are included and have access to quality services that maintain and build on their health and wellbeing.
“One of the Government’s aims is to support older people to live at home safely and comfortably for as long as possible, because that is the wish of many of those people.
“But to do that means we need a heightened focus on the quality of home and community support services available.”
Work is currently underway to strengthen quality assurance processes in home and community support services for older people which includes the introduction of mandatory quality standards for home and community support services, regular audits of service providers, and a more robust consumer complaints process and satisfaction measurement.
Jo says the Government also acknowledges the role of informal carers of older people and the importance of protecting their wellbeing.
“That is why this financial year we have provided them greater support through additional funding of $5 million for respite care in general and a further $1 million specifically for dementia respite care.”
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Posted on 05-05-2012 14:10 | By plain sailing
And more recognition for the carers who, in most cases, give up so much of their lives to care for a loved one just to keep them at home!! Surely this saves the government a huge amount in this area of care for the elderly [and disabled] and some sort of acknowledgemnet that they are appreciated for the sacrifices they make to do this would ease the burden of feeling used!! I know!! I cared for my father for his last 3 1/2 years and then my husband for over 10 years [and all this when I could still have been out working for our income]. And yes! It’s not the money that counts but be assured there were years of much love poured into this and I do have the satisfaction of knowing this but, like others, you feel so unacknowledged for it by the powers that be.