MORE THAN $18 MILLION FOR AGED CARE IN THE RIVERINA AND CENTRAL WEST
SENIOR residents in the Riverina and Central West will receive a significant boost with more than $18 million in funding for new residential aged care places and capital grants.
Nationals’ Riverina MP and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack was at Gumleigh Gardens Hostel in Wagga Wagga on Sunday to announce 206 new Riverina and Central West aged care places through the Aged Care Approvals Round 2018-19, worth more than $13.8 million a year.
Of the 206 new places, 130 will be for new facilities in Wagga Wagga.
Aged care centres in Lockhart and Junee will also receive $4.2 million in capital funding through the Rural, Regional and Other Special Needs Building Fund.
Mr McCormack said the funding was an important step to ensuring older Australians in regional and rural communities had access to quality aged care services.
“We need to continue to meet the increasing demands of the aged care sector as our population ages,” Mr McCormack said.
“Seniors in our local communities can be more assured that they will have future care options in locations as close as possible to their families.
“This significant investment into the aged care sector could not be delivered without our strong economic management.”
“More local jobs will be created as a result of this funding, including construction jobs for the capital works.
“What a fantastic outcome for local communities throughout the Riverina and Central West.”
The latest funding comes on top of nearly $1.2 million in funding for aged care facilities throughout the Riverina announced in earlier this year through the Government’s Aged Care Regional, Rural and Remote Infrastructure Grant scheme.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care and Minister for Indigenous Health Ken Wyatt AM, who made the 2018 ACAR announcement in Wagga Wagga in June last year, said the Liberal and Nationals’ Government was providing Australians with more choices for longer lives with a record 13,500 new residential aged care places across Australia, worth $907 million a year, as well as a further $60 million in capital works investment as part of the Federal Government’s $5 billion aged care boost.
“Every one of these new places will mean senior Australians can age with more confidence, knowing they have future care options in locations as close as possible to their families and communities,” Minister Wyatt said.
Metropolitan allocations are at record levels but rural, regional and remote areas are significant winners because of a focus on improving aged care access and services in country communities.
Allocating new places to regional areas is part of the Liberal and National’s Government strategy to combat the challenges faced by older rural and regional Australians.
Older Australians who are financially or socially challenged, who are from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or LGBTI communities or who are veterans are among those who will have priority access to more than 23 per cent of the new places.
Details on the 2018-19 Aged Care Approvals Round outcomes, including successful providers, are available at www.agedcare.health.gov.au/funding/aged-care-approvals-round-acar/2018-19-aged-care-approvals-round.
Fast facts
Service name Aged care places received Capital funding
Gumleigh Gardens, Wagga Wagga 26
Goodwin Aged Care Services, 80
Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga Community 50
Aged Care
Woodhaven, Lockhart 6 $3,839,460
Cooinda Court Hostel, Junee 8 $400,000
Cootamundra Nursing Home 1
Weerona Aged Care Residence, Cowra 32
Catholic Healthcare Jemalong 3
Residential Village
Total 206 ($13,843,200 per year) $4,239,460