Australia — The
Government has again ignored the plight of the 6000 young
Australians with disabilities who are currently
accommodated in aged care facilities because there is
nowhere else for them to go.
Australian Democrats' Disability
spokesperson, Senator Brian Greig, says the Government
has turned its back on these young people by failing to
allocate even a small amount of the massive budget
surplus to prevent new admissions to nursing homes or to
deal with the backlog that already exists.
"Many young people in nursing homes
have acquired brain injuries or degenerative conditions
like multiple sclerosis and are unable to access
rehabilitative therapies, day-time activities or even
spend their time with people their own age," Senator
Greig said.
"Placing an otherwise healthy
person with a brain injury in an environment with people
three times their age and at a very different stage of
life, is completely inappropriate. It is a national
disgrace and should be a priority for any Government to
address."
Senator Greig says this issue has
been the sole focus of almost half of all submissions to
the current Senate inquiry into general Aged Care, and
requires a national strategy to address the issue.
"The Democrats again call for the
development of a national catastrophic injury insurance
system, similar to that already operating in New
Zealand.
"The NZ example, supported by the
AMA, would prevent young people with acquired
disabilities having to be accommodated in aged care
nursing homes, because they would be properly compensated
for their injuries, and therefore able to pay for the
care they need," Senator Greig said.
"The Government's only response to
date has been its Aged Care Innovative Pool pilot
project, which is only moderately accessible for young
people in nursing homes, but even this initiative has not
been supported by additional or ongoing funding in the
2005 Federal Budget," Senator Greig said.
