Care in own home mooted for ageing population

THE FOLLOWING STORY IS FROM THE WAIKATO TIMES, MAY 10. Keeping the elderly out of rest homes and in home care longer is being touted as the best way to deal with our ageing population. But at-home carers need to be better trained and recognised for that to succeed, says one academic. Waikato is predicted to have around 69,000 people aged over 65 by the year 2021 – or 17.6 per cent of the population. That's an increase from 52,340 currently (or 14.1 per cent of the population). Those over 85 are also predicted to rise from 1.6 per cent of the population now (6040) – to 2.1 per cent (8160). The figures formed part of a discussion about the care of older people during a Waikato DHB disability advisory committee meeting yesterday. "There's rapid growth – 25 years from now you'll be walking down Victoria St [Hamilton] and one in five people will be over 65," AgeWise strategic advisory chairwoman Professor Peggy Koopman-Boyden told the meeting. "So we need to adapt not only our health services, but also our attitudes," she said. It is expected the DHB will spend $86.64 million funding healthcare for older people this financial year – up from $43.93m in 2004-05. But that figure will rise substantially with the ageing population. Prof Koopman-Boyden said the development of the elder care workforce outside hospitals and care facilities was a key to managing an ageing population. "What other profession in the workforce relies so heavily on the unpaid workforce to help it?" "There are thousands of community workers ... if they're not well trained, not well motivated and recognised, or the next generation wants to keep getting paid in the workforce, what are we going to do?" She said supporting community groups like Alzheimers NZ, which pick up a lot of the burden, was paramount. "Because if they fall, so does the system." Health of older people portfolio manager Fiona Murdoch agreed that keeping people out of rest homes and at home longer was the best way of ensuring they had the facilities to cope. "We're managing to keep pace at the moment ... this is a good news story, we are living longer, but there's a rest home with your name on it if we can't get the community stuff right." The DHB spends $16.8m a year on home and community support services for older people – and $1.57m for respite care for at-home caregivers. In comparison, it spent $62.69m last year on residential care. Hamilton woman Mary Russell-Bethune is right behind a push to see older people cared for at home, rather than in residential care. The 86-year-old came close to having to go into rehabilitative care in March after falling and fracturing her femur. But after spending 17 days in hospital, she knew she had to get home to her husband Don, who is terminally ill. "It would have been terrible," she said of the thought of going into a home. Instead, she got the help of Home Instead Senior Care – a private older persons service provider. A carer comes three times a day for an hour to cook three meals and do household chores, as Mrs Russell-Bethune is fairly immobile at present. It's a service Mrs Russell-Bethune thinks should be afforded to all that need it. "They always come in with bright smiles on their face. I would have been very terribly worried and distressed if I couldn't have been at home."

Carers Deserve a Better Rate of Pay, Says Home Care Agency

Wednesday, 9 May 2012, 7:41 pm Press Release: Miranda Smith Homecare MEDIA RELEASE For immediate use Thursday, May 10 National private home care agency Miranda Smith Homecare is supporting calls to increase rates for carers working in the residential and in-home care sector. A draft Human Rights Commission report obtained by Radio New Zealand says staff working in residential facilities and in home-based community support barely earn the minimum wage. The report says those doing the same work for district health boards get about 16 percent more than their counterparts. Miranda Smith Homecare says those caring for the elderly are a vital part of the community. Some have been doing the work for many years and their pay rates should reflect that. Managing director Miranda Smith says it’s important that carers are competent and committed to clients. “It’s difficult to get an acceptable level of service when those carers are barely being offered enough to look after themselves,” she says. Ms Smith says it’s also important to give recognition to competent and long-serving carers. Miranda Smith Homecare already pays contracted carers well above the minimum wage and is currently in the process of rolling out rate increases around the country. Grey Power and the Aged Care Association are also both pressing for the issue of low wages and wage inequality in the care sector to be addressed. ENDS