National is working to look after our elderly citizens. In 2010/11, health boards spent $144 million more on older people than in 2008/09. This means a total of $191 million more is being spent on services such as aged residential care, home support and support for carers.
Annual spending on aged residential care has increased by $130 million with $10 million of this for new dementia beds. We are also making the national minimum standard for the quality of care for home and community support providers mandatory.
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June 7, 2012 at 12:22 pm
Dave Kennedy
I’m sorry Eric but stating the millions spent provides only half the story. Much of the money is being taken off shore by Australian companies who own a large proportion of our rest homes and make good profits by putting money tagged for wages into buildings and profit instead. NZ Consumer has done some excellent research into the lack of regulation and monitoring of our aged care providers and what assessments have been done show that the majority fail to meet the minimal standards that already exist. Our elderly are amongst the richest in the OECD and yet what we provide for them is hugely inadequate.
“We are also making the national minimum standard for the quality of care for home and community support providers mandatory.”
Are you saying that the minimum standards weren’t mandatory before?
What extra money is being spent on inspections and lifting the wages of workers?