Public-sector residential aged-care services in the south west will receive a total of over $500,000 to improve facilities and quality of care for elderly residents.
Member for Western Victoria, Gayle Tierney MP today announced health services across the south west will share in close to $6 million of new grants to help public aged-care facilities deliver the best possible care, now and into the future.
More than $4 million of the state-wide funding boost will go to vital refurbishments so public sector aged care facilities can meet modern, contemporary standards and provide better and safer living conditions for residents.
To help provide the highest quality care, $970,000 will be delivered to buy specialised medical equipment such as electronic beds, pressure-relieving mattresses, electronic shower chairs, mobility aids, lifting equipment, and diagnostic and treatment equipment.
A $301,000 funding boost will see more than 250 nurses working in rural public aged care facilities receive training in the comprehensive health assessment of older people, while another $639,400 is earmarked to strengthen business operations ensuring services are sustainable into the future.
Upgrades to aged care homes in the south west will include:
- Heywood Rural Health which will receive $264,300 for the Heywood Resident Dining & Activities Rooms Redevelopment Project.
- Terang and Mortlake Health Service which will receive $187,585 for the Mount View Aged Care refurbishment project.
- Lyndoch Living Inc. in Warrnambool which will receive $14,300 for aged care nurse training and new specialist equipment.
- South West Health Care in Warrnambool which will receive $14,300 for aged care nurse training and new specialist equipment.
- Moyne Health Services in Port Fairy which will receive $14,300 for aged care nurse training and new specialist equipment.
- Portland District Health which will receive $14,300 for aged care nurse training and new specialist equipment.
- Timboon and District Health Service which will receive $14,300 for aged care nurse training and new specialist equipment.
Victoria has 182 public residential aged care facilities across Victoria providing about 5,800 places, about 86 per cent of them in rural and regional towns.
Quotes attributable to Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney MP:
“These state-owned facilities play a vital role in delivering aged care for vulnerable Victorians.”
In small rural communities, public providers can be the sole local provider of aged care, and are also central to the local economy and local jobs.”
“The Andrews Labor Government is committed to supporting people to access local quality aged care homes and services in regional and rural Victoria – and are now investing in the future of public aged care facilities.”