WDHS welcomes 10 new aged care places
8 February 2007
Older Australians and their families living in Southern Grampians will benefit from the allocation of 10 new aged care places to the Western District Health Service, Federal Member for Wannon, David Hawker, announced this week.
Mr Hawker, announced that The Grange Residential Care Service in Hamilton, has received 10 new Community Aged Care Packages, as part of an allocation of 80 new residential care places for the Western District.
“These new aged care places were allocated after a highly competitive selection process, in which places were allocated to the provider who best demonstrated their ability to provide for the needs of their community,” Mr Hawker said.
WDHS Chief Executive Officer Mr Jim Fletcher welcomed the news.
Mr. Fletcher said “Western District Health Service’s Service Plan for 2006-2011 identified a need for 10 Community Aged Care packages now and a further 10 before 2011 to meet the needs of our ageing population”.
“The allocation of the extra 10 packages, five general and five rural, for areas outside the Hamilton precinct would enable WDHS to support an additional number of our elderly citizens with the provision of personal care in their own homes so that they could continue to live safely in familiar surroundings”.
“The additional 10 packages complement 15 general and five Koori-specific packages already provided by WDHS, thereby enhancing the range of services provided to our ageing population,” he said.
Mr Hawker said the region’s aged care providers have welcomed the new places with open arms.
Mr Hawker acknowledged the importance of maintaining a world-class aged care system based around traditional and non-traditional approaches to cater for the varying needs of the elderly.
“I am thoroughly pleased by this announcement” he said. “This highlights the Australian Governments commitment to providing world class care for our elderly and also acknowledges the importance of elderly people to our community here in Western Victoria.”
Photograph: Jim Fletcher welcomes the 10 new Aged Care places.