Grey Power September 2019

30
NZ GREYPOWER MAGAZINE » SEPTEMBER 2019
LOBBY REPORT 2019 – PART 2
From page 28
implementation during
the 2021/22 financial
year.
Response from Hon M.
Barry, National Party
“This was developed by
InterRAI International,
a collaborative of health
researchers in more
than 30 countries, and
offers a comprehensive
clinical assessment or
medical, rehabilitation
and support needs
and abilities such as
mobility and self-care.
All district health boards
(DHBs) have been using
interRAI for assessing
older people’s needs for
home and community
support services since
2012, and since July
2015 interRAI in aged
residential care. Each
year, more than 100,000
interRAI assessments are
completed throughout
New Zealand. Data
from these assessments,
once anonymised and
aggregated, is a source
of information for
health policy makers,
health care professionals
and researchers.”
CHANGE ADMINIS-
TRATION OF HOME
CARE CONTRACT-
ING TO CONSIS-
TENT AUDITING
NELSON & SUSAN
ELLIOTT
FUNERALS
AND MONITORING
ACROSS THE COUN-
TRY,
so that there is a case-mix
system across the whole
country and that the administration
be removed
from the District Health
Boards.
No response to this.
THAT THE
SUBSTANTIAL FEE
INCREASES FOR
NON-SUBSIDISED
RESIDENTS IN
REST HOMES
AND HOSPITALS
OVER THE ASSET
THRESHOLD
OF $225,000 BE
REVIEWED BY
A MINISTERIAL
INQUIRY.
Response from the Hon J
Salesa, Associate Minister
of Health
“I can assure you that
aged residential care is
an area of focus for our
Government. The fee increases
for residents with
assets beyond $225,000
have taken place following
an increase in the
amount paid to providers
for rest home care, which
is an outcome of paying
higher wages to care
workers. Minimum care
worker wage rates are set
in the Care and Support
Workers (Pay Equity)
Settlement Act 2017. This
Act corrects the historical
undervaluation of care
worker wages.
Residents with assets
over the threshold pay
the rest home price as required
by the Residential
Care and Disability Support
Services Act 2018.
The approach underlying
the means assessment
in this legislation is that
people who can afford
to support themselves
should do so.
I am advised that rest
homes are permitted to
charge more than the rest
home price for premium
accommodation, but
they must give residents
a choice of rooms without
an additional charge.
The circumstances when
additional charges are
permitted are outlined
in a document on the
DHB Technical Advisory
Services website
(www.tas.health.govt.nz)
by searching ‘premium
room service charges’.”
Response from Hon M.
Barry, National Party
Substantial fee increases
for non-subsidised
residents in rest homes
and hospitals over the
threshold be reviewed.
“The price residents in
aged care facilities with
assets above the threshold
pay was increased by
an average of 9.9 percent
on 1 July 2017. The majority
of this increase was
a result of the Care and
Support Worker (Pay
Equity) Settlement. At
that time, 11,070 aged
care residents with assets
over the threshold
were required to pay the
maximum contribution
towards the cost of their
care. This was set in legislation
and equal to the
rest home price, which
from 1 July 2017 was in a
range of $974 and $1063
a week depending on
their location.
The increase arising
from the impact of the
pay equity settlement
was $74 a week (including
GST). Including the
annual price increase of
1.8 percent for general
cost pressures, the total
increase was between
$89.88 and $91.42 a
week depending on a resident’s
location (including
GST). At the time, the
Ministry of Health recognised
this was a significant
increase, however it
addressed a historic undervaluation
of care and
support work.
EXTENSION OF THE
AVAILABILITY FOR
RESPITE CARE FOR
THOSE LIVING AT
HOME ALONE - Grey
Power recommends
that all District Health
Boards ensure that they
either purchase from
ARC facilities or provide
sufficient respite care
beds so that the needs for
respite care is fully met
Response from the Hon J
Salesa, Associate Minister
of Health
“As you are aware, DHBs
are responsible for the
planning and funding
of respite services within
their districts to meet
the needs of their local
population. As such,
the types of respite care
available can vary between
districts. The
Ministry is aware that
in some districts, people
living alone may be able
to access DHB-funded
respite care in an aged
residential care facility.
However, I acknowledge
that this does not fall under
the generally accepted
definition of respite
care, which is to give the
carer a break, and I am
advised that the Ministry
will consider this issue as
part of its ongoing work
on respite care.”
Response from Hon M.
Barry, National Party
None
Continued on page 34
A legacy to a make a difference
70 x 78 mm
Do you hope for a
community where
children feel safe
and able to be nurtured to
fulfil their potential? Do
you want to ensure there
is genuine companionship
and care available for older
people?
A gift to Presbyterian
Support in your Will (a bequest)
can make a real difference
to the lives of others,
and the future needs
of those who live in your
community.
Donald and Margaret
Malcolm had a strong relationship
with Presbyterian
Support, where they lived
in Otago, over many years.
Margy-Jean, their daughter,
captured the relationship
her parents had with
Presbyterian Support:
Donald was a quietly
innovative pioneer,
amongst the first in his
field as a paediatrician to
be doing things like establishing
specialist neo-natal
care for newborn babies,
leading child abuse
prevention initiatives and
engaging in community-focused
paediatrics.
Margaret was a natural
community builder
involved in supporting
strong neighbourhood
connections wherever we
lived, and an active volun-
teer in numerous church
and voluntary organisation
initiatives.
We therefore feel that it
would be very appropriate
if their legacy was able to
support the Family Works
team to extend some work
they wouldn’t have otherwise
been able to in the
community development
space. We would like their
bequest to help strengthen
neighbourhood connections,
enrich children’s
lives and support parents
to be the best they can be.
The Malcolm legacy
will make a difference and
a positive impact on the
lives of the individuals and
families who are served
by Presbyterian Support
in Otago. We are sincerely
grateful for their support
and the lasting difference it
will provide.
There are a number of
services offered, and programmes
run by Family
Works, under Presbyterian
Support. These have a lifelong
impact on the lives of
the individuals and families
supported by Presbyterian
Support. Many of
these families may be facing
a range of social and life
challenges and a friendly
helping hand makes a
world of difference.
Tessa*, a Family Works
client, said, “Keep doing
what you’re doing. You
have helped me to see the
light at the end of the tunnel.
Thank you for the part
you have played in making
a positive difference to my
family.”
If you would like to talk
about how to leave a legacy
and how you can make a
difference for families who
Donald and Margaret Malcolm look through their 65-year-old wedding
photographs at their anniversary celebration in Dunedin. Photo courtesy of ODT.
are in your community
please contact your nearest
Presbyterian Support
office.