Care funds welcomed, but more are needed

By Shaun Inguanzo
DEMAND could soon outstrip supply for in-home care in Greater Dandenong, the council has revealed.
That is unless either State or Federal Governments pump “significantly more” funds into the City of Greater Dandenong’s Home and Community Care (HACC) program to enable it to cope with the growing demands of an ageing population.
HACC services include Meals on Wheels, housekeeping assistance, respite services, property maintenance, health services and nursing.
The Federal Government recently announced a $27.4 million nationwide boost to HACC programs, which locally service around 10 per cent of Greater Dandenong’s population.
As a result of the funding, the council has received an extra $173,635 for the remainder of this financial year, but for the 2008-09 budget will receive the full increase of $347,175 that will provide an additional 8179 hours of care.
This is in addition to the 63,000 hours the council provides annually.
But Greater Dandenong director of community services June Dugina told councillors that unless funding continued to increase for HACC services, it was possible that Greater Dandenong would have to introduce a waiting list to cope with the expected explosion of aged people in the city.
A council report this week said that by 2011, the City of Greater Dandenong’s population over the age of 70 would stand at 12 per cent of its total population – more than the estimated state trend of 10 per cent by the same year.
Ms Dugina said there would need to be significant increases by that time to ensure the council could continue supplying HACC without a waiting list.