TIME TO TAKE ACTION
By Merilyn Vale (The Seniors)
George Vassilou is about to start a national action group to help people struggling to support their family members despite receiving financil assistance with the Federal Government’s aged care at home (EACH) packages.
Mr Vassilou said families needed independent advocacy and information to help them increase the hours of face-to-face care their aged care packages achieved.
Mr Vassilou has doubled his mother’s face-to-face care hours by personally taking control of her EACH dementia package.
“Something is drastically wrong,” he said. “There needs to be an investigation on how funds are actually being applied. Now with the for-profit sector entering the market, it’s only going to get worse. Bad luck if you need support on weekends. Some agencies will provide care Monday to Fridays only.”
Aged Care Watch spokeswoman Carol Williams said she believe George’s story was one of the most significant she had read. “If others are to have the same success, however, there will need to be a major shift in government spending – there is currently a strong bias to institutional care.”
“The current legislation does not reflect what most people want.”
George Vassilou can be emailed at gvass@bigpond.net.au
Abridged
SOURCE: theSeniors (print April Issue)
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