THE HON MARK BUTLER MP Minister for Mental ... - Carers WA

THE HON MARK BUTLER MPMinister for Mental Health and AgeingMinister for Housing and HomelessnessMinister for Social InclusionMinister Assisting the Prime Minister on Mental Health ReformMEDIA RELEASE26 June 2013MORE RESPITE FOR CARERS OF OLDER AUSTRALIANSCarers of frail older Australians will soon have greater access to support with anexpansion of the Federal Labor Government’s National Respite for Carers Programrolling out today.Minister for Ageing Mark Butler said the expansion was part of the Government’s$3.7 billion Living Longer Living Better aged care reforms and will mean the carers of2,500 older Australians will get the planned respite they need.“Caring for someone full time can be physically and emotionally demanding andcarers need to be able to take time out from their caring responsibilities,” Mr Butlersaid.“Respite services allow carers to go to work, relax or catch up with friends and knowthat their dependents are being looked after.”Funding will be provided to 55 respite services, which have been selected throughan open, competitive funding round.As part of Living Longer Living Better, the Government announced funding of $54.8million to streamline and expand support for carers, including expanding access torespite services. This funding is in addition to the $293 million over two years from2012-13 for respite services announced in February 2012.Mr Butler said the expansion round had been specifically targeted at providingadditional funding for services to frail aged people in regions where limited or noexisting services were currently available.“Carers play an enormously important role and should have access to respiteservices regardless of where they live.”

“This funding will help community services continue to meet the needs of carers whodedicate so much to improve the lives of older people, people with a disability andpeople living with chronic or terminal illness.”Respite services are delivered in a number of settings, including day respite incommunity centres, in-home respite, overnight respite cottages and communityoutings.Media contact: Karen Palmer – 0427 339 594