McLean Care has invited Member for New England Barnaby Joyce for a visit to showcase the reason for its existence, which is to provide the best possible care to older residents.
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The Aged Care Financing Authority's (ACFA) 2019 Report on Funding and Financing of the Aged Care Industry demonstrates the fragile position of many aged care providers that will hamper improvements in service.
Acting chief executive Rose Wild said as a non-profit, McLean Care's mission was to provide the highest possible quality of aged care.
"But with growing numbers of older people requiring support at home, and the increasingly complex needs of people living longer in residential care, we are starting to face pressures that could impact our service.
"The big improvements we are working towards in aged care at the moment won't be fully realised unless we see a commensurate response on funding for the sector," she said.
McLean Care is proud of progress that's been made in recent times, but believe increased costs can't be absorbed forever without there being an impact on services older Australians.
Ms Wild said there was good reason to feel optimistic about what could be achieved through a Royal Commission.
"Until we see adequate planning for the structural and funding issues, we won't be able to fully address the needs of older Australians living in the New England North West - let alone the future challenges of our ageing population.
"With the help of members, aged care peak body ACSA has identified five urgent priorities that can be addressed immediately, without the broader recommendations of the Commission," she explained.
McLean Care is asking Mr Joyce to help progress the five priorities in Parliament and have invited him to visit the service to gauge a deeper understanding of aged care issues and the needs of older Australians.
The five key points include:
- Extending the short-term 9.5 per cent funding injection into residential care, tied to investing in staffing, training and other workforce matters based on local and organisational needs, until the Royal Commission's broader recommendations can be implemented.
- Urgent boost of 40,000 level three and four Home Care Packages (in 2019-20) that is the main cause of the backlog in waiting lists and is forcing people into hospital or residential care prematurely.
- Keep rural and regional Australians in their communities by increasing the rural and remote supplement by $10 per day.
- Address the oral health crisis in aged care with MBS provider numbers for dental hygienists or oral health therapists to prevent dental issues progressing into more serious medical issues.
- Increase the homeless supplement by $10 per day.
In response to the invitation, Mr Joyce said "as with all organisations in the community, I welcome approaches by McLean Care to discuss with me the priorities of older Australians in our electorate.
"These retirees are the people who helped build the country we're all lucky to call home today and that should be respected," he said.
In March, Mr Joyce announced an extra 172 places in New England's aged care sector funded under the 2018-19 Aged Care Approvals Round.
Just this month the MP spoke at length with residents at Uralla's McMaugh Gardens Aged Care Centre where the Federal Government is providing $500,000 for new bathroom and toilet refurbishments.
