Better home and community services for older people

  • Jo Goodhew
Senior Citizens

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew says the Government’s serious about improving the health care which older people receive at home and in the community.

Today Mrs Goodhew told attendees at the opening of the Better At Home Expo today in Tauranga that changes stemming from a review of services should be in place by July next year.

“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,” she said.

“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 currently underway to strengthen quality assurance processes in home and community support services for older people 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.

“The Government also acknowledges the role of informal carers of older people and the importance of protecting their wellbeing,” says Mrs Goodhew.

“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.”

Mrs Goodhew praised Panacea Health Care for the Expo initiative which brings many agencies and services together in one place to share ideas on to support older people to live independently at home. It also provides an opportunity for older people to see and meet all the service providers under one roof.