NSW — Maitland
carers will be barred from their homes when accessing
in-home respite care for their loved ones under a raft of
controversial new changes being implemented by the State
Government.
With the reforms expected to come
into effect on July 1, Maitland residents with
disabilities and their carers are worried they will be
unable to access respite to suit their needs.
Interchange Respite Care NSW
and Hunter service providers organised a meeting at
Telarah Bowling Club yesterday for people to air their
concerns.
Lower Hunter Temporary Care manager
Anthony Brooks said the proposed changes would effect all
respite services funded by the NSW Department of
Disability, Ageing and Home Care, significantly
restricting families options on how respite was
provided.
He said a lack of flexibility in
the new regulations was the main concern, with the
department stipulating that carers could not be in their
own homes while a person with a disability was receiving
in-home respite care, unless it was overnight respite.
"There has been no reason given by
the department as to why they demand this of carers," he
said.
"It certainly doesn't appear to be
a family friendly approach to helping families who care
for a person with a disability.
"It seems that the department has
forgotten that many carers may also be responsible for
other children and family members at home.
"Given that being a carer can be
such a demanding role, it looks as though the department
also doesn't realise that these changes would not allow a
carer to catch up on some much needed sleep in their own
bed while receiving in-home respite care."
Respite care would also only be
available outside of "business hours" or on weekends
under the changes.
"The changes the department wants
to introduce appear to be unfair and will not allow many
families to obtain the respite care that meets their
individual needs," Mr Brooks said.
He said the agency would present
the concerns raised at yesterday's meeting to the state
and federal governments.
