The Member for Richmond shows us her aged care report card

Yesterday the Minister for Ageing and Member fo Richmond,Justine Elliot released a Report Card of Achievements in Aged and Community Care:

In the last 365 days, the Rudd Government has:

• Begun investing more than $41.6 billion over the next four years into aged and community care;
• Increased funding to community care in 2008-2009 to $2.2 billion – an increase of $260 million over 2007-2008 – recognising that older Australians want to remain at home and independent as long as possible;
• Allocated 228 transition care places under its $293.2 million four-year election commitment;
• Offered $150 million in Zero Interest Real Loans as part of Round One of $300 million election commitment to create nursing home beds in areas of high need;
• Announced an Indigenous Aged Care plan worth more than $46 million;
• Introduced improvements to quality/compliance, including strengthening accreditation standards and processes, extending police checks and better arrangements for missing residents;
• Increased unannounced visits by the Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency to nursing homes to record levels;
• Selected Australian actor, Ms Noeline Brown as Australia's Ambassador for Ageing;
• Expanded programs to retain, recruit and support nurses and personal care workers to the aged care sector; and
• Made improvements to aged care assessments, including a rapid response team and reducing duplication – helping older Australians access aged and community care services when they need them.

I have to say that any change that this funding represents is going to happen slowly on the NSW North Coast if past instances are any indication.

The complete report card can be found here.