annecto CEO Estelle Fyffe has welcomed the new aged care and NDIS initiatives announced in Tuesday’s Federal Budget. Ms Fyffe said “The additional 14,000 new home care packages for older people with high level needs will significantly assist in reducing home care waiting lists. This will provide additional support for thousands of older Australians, to allow them to keep living in their own homes for longer.”
“However it is disappointing to see that the 2018 Budget has not built upon last year’s Budget measures towards addressing housing affordability. Many people are facing the difficulty of finding an affordable, secure home, especially those on a low or moderate income.” said Ms Fyffe.
Initiatives announced in the 2018-2019 Budget which annecto welcomes are:
Aged Care
• 14,000 new high-needs home care packages,
• 13,500 residential aged care places,
• Funding of $105.7 million over four years to support the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program to deliver additional home care packages in remote communities and additional residential aged care places,
• The development of a new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission from 1 January 2019,
• $20 million to pilot services for older Australian at risk of isolation to help them remain connected to their community,
• $29.2 million for a trial of support strategies to help older people stay independent and stay in their own homes for longer,
• The Government’s new framework for streamlined and faster consumer assessments for all aged care services to be delivered from 2020, and
• $7.45 million over two years for the introduction of face-to-face services to assist older Australians and their families to get the best outcomes from the aged care system.
Disability
• Fully funding the National Disability Insurance Scheme,
• $64.3 million over four years for the NDIS Jobs and Market Fund to assist disability service providers, and
• $9.9 million over 2 years to help Disability Employment Providers transition to the NDIS.
