Aged Care: Minister Receives 15,000 Charters (AUSTRALIA)

October 20, 2009

The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) has presented 15,000 signed charters to Ageing Minister, Justine Elliot.

The union’s charter for quality aged care calls on the federal government to increase funding for the sector.

As part of its ‘Because we Care’ campaign, the ANF is also seeking pay increases for aged care staff and a national licensing system for personal carers and assistants in nursing.

Federal secretary Ged Kearney said there was a huge groundswell of support for the campaign among aged care staff members and the broader community.

“The Prime Minister has committed to major reform of our health system to fix systemic problems and to deal with the ageing population,” she said.

“Residential and community aged care must be at the top of the list for reform.

“If you fix aged care you will go a long way to fixing public hospitals by preventing admissions of older Australians and by allowing safer, early discharge to nursing homes that have the qualified staff to care for them.”

Ms Kearney said the ageing population made it even more important to improve the conditions for nurses in aged care.

“Australia today has some 2,800 residential aged care facilities providing care to more than 160,000 elderly people, 70 per cent of whom receive high-level care and 55 per cent of whom are 85 years of age or older,” she said.

“By 2020 the number of residents is projected to reach more than 250,000 – a 56 percent increase.”

SOURCE:    The Australian Ageing Agenda
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