Grey Power September 2019

34
NZ GREYPOWER MAGAZINE » SEPTEMBER 2019
LOBBY REPORT 2019 – PART 2
From page 30
HOME CARE
– a request that the Minister of Health
ensures the delivery of home care by
District Health Boards to be based on
need as assessed by Home Care Inter
RAI assessment and that the level of
care be delivered at the same level by all
of the 20 District Health Boards
Response from the Hon J Salesa, Associate
Minister of Health
“Regarding your recommendation on
home care, I am advised that all those
seeking home based support are required
to be assessed using the inter-
RAl comprehensive assessment. This
assessment method is used throughout
the country and by all DHBs for older
people seeking home-based support.
Assessment is then used to inform the
development of care plans for each individual.
There are differences in the range
of supports that are available to individuals.
This depends on the individual’s
potential support from informal carers,
specific in care plans, and preferences of
the individuals needing support.
In addition, DHBs currently use different
models for allocating resources
to support care plans, which means that
there may be variation in services, even
though assessed needs may be similar.
A development of a consistent case-mix,
as described above, will help to reduce
unintended variation in care across
DHBs.”
Response from Hon M. Barry
None
AGED CARE
COMMISSIONER
Response from the Hon J Salesa, Associate
Minister of Health
“The establishment of an Aged Care
Commissioner is currently under active
consideration by the Government. This
includes consideration of ways to improve
the health and wellbeing of older
people within residential care and those
receiving home and community support
services.
You will be aware that there is also a
wide variety of improvement work already
being undertaken across the sector.
The Ministry is currently undertaking
a review of mandatory Health and
Disability Standards. This is anticipated
to finish by July 2020.
The Review offers the opportunity to
make changes to better reflect contemporary
practice including in areas of staffing,
consumer rights and complaints.
Work is also underway to strengthen the
complaints framework in aged residential
care. This is a collaborative piece of
work, involving the Health and Disability
Commission, the Ministry, the Health
Quality and Safety Commission (HQSC),
DHBs, health service providers, and
service users, with an aim to make the
complaints system more accessible and
transparent for service users and their
families. Work is also underway with
HQSC on an aged residential care quality
improvement programme.
The Ministry, the New Zealand Nurses
Organisation, and DHBs are working
together to improve the recruitment and
retention of registered nurses, including
those in the aged residential care sector.
Work is also being undertaken on the
National Framework for home and community
support services, which is due to
be implemented from 1 July 2019.
Additionally, in June 2018, the Ombudsman
was given responsibility to
monitor the treatment of people detained
in aged care facilities, such as
those in secure dementia, or secure psychogeriatric
units. You can follow updates
on this work on the Ombudsman’s
website (www.ombudsman.parliament.
nz) by searching ‘monitoring places of
detention’.
THE ‘HAVE YOUR SAY’
CAMPAIGN:
The Hon M Barry said that in November
last year, she and National Leader Simon
Bridges launched the “Have your Say”
campaign for Seniors as a measure of the
respect and value they place on senior
New Zealanders and their views.
The campaign and its accompanying
questionnaire are designed to produce a
“living document”to help build policies
and plans that we will be able to translate
quickly into action should National win
the next election.
The important findings of the campaign
(as at February 2019) are:
1) What is causing the most strain on
New Zealand families:
Petrol and transport, rates, food and
groceries, insurance, power and heating,
healthcare, increased taxes and
rent and housing.
2) Other topics mentioned:
Community-based care, home-cased
care, primary healthcare, hospitals,
Super Gold Card, local police, ACC,
WINZ, Public transport, Councils.
3) Issues causing greatest concern:
Cost of living, elder abuse and neglect,
loneliness, accessibility and
mobility, opportunities to work
and volunteer
4) Other issues – crime, law and order,
increased taxes, cost of healthcare,
mobility issues and increase in cost of
electricity.
5) Which are the areas for priority in a
future National government:
Dental, access to and services by GPs,
end of life care and support, homebased
care, housing choices and
dementia care.
6) New policies needed:
Reducing tax, creating more affordable
housing, social housing, cheaper
doctors’ visits, reduce immigration
and repeal any capital gains
tax or any increased taxes Labour
puts on.
7) Key Issues:
Increased taxes, spending on core
public services – including health
and education, cost of living, education
and quality of teachers, affordable
housing, immigration and
social investment.
GENERAL GREY POWER
COMMENT:
Thanks to the Hon. D. Clark, Hon J.
Salesa and Hon M. Barry for their
responses.
Also please note that the background
research, Grey Power policy etc. for
most of the issues above was provided
in Part 1 of the Lobby Report, which was
published in the June quarterly Grey
Power Magazine.
Jan Pentecost and Mac Welch
Co-chairs advocacy standing committee
Breathe Better this Spring
By Teresa Demetriou, Asthma and Respiratory Foundation NZ.
Spring has officially
sprung, but even as the
weather warms up we
need to look after ourselves.
Asthma has a reputation as
a childhood disease, but it’s not
uncommon for people over 65
to develop asthma symptoms
for the first time in some circumstances.
This can be caused
by pollution, chest infections,
over exercising, or allergens
like pollen; spring brings no
shortage of any of these.
Asthma can be quite serious
in older adults, but luckily
there are ways to minimise the
risks, and make sure you enjoy
the season.
Dry the Damp
Spring showers will always
happen, and with extra rain
comes the possibility of dampness,
mildew, and mould.
These can negatively affect
your breathing, affecting allergies,
asthma, and even causing
pneumonia or bronchitis. And
it’s not just showers that cause
damp; it’s the drop in temperature
leading to condensation on
the inside of the windows that
can lead to damp and mould
Drawing the curtains (and
cleaning them once in a while)
can be helpful, as can opening
the windows and letting in
some fresh air. If that’s not an
option, air purifiers and dehumidifiers
are great at making
sure your home doesn’t get
damp, and can keep your air
clean.
Don’t Mow your Own
No one likes overgrown lawns,
but cutting the grass or weeding
the flowers can cause pollen
and allergens to exasperate
breathing troubles. If possible,
have someone else mow
your lawn, clean your gutters.
Speaking of pollen, it can be
a real pain this time of year,
irritating your eyes, nose, and
lungs, making it more difficult
to breathe. If you really want to
do it yourself, get a breathing
mask and protect yourself before
venturing outdoors, and
check the pollen count first to
avoid unnecessary risks.
Doctor Knows Best
While it may seem obvious,
using your inhalers or other
medications correctly is one
of the most important things
to do. Make sure that you get
you inhaler technique checked
every time you visit the doctor
or pick up a new prescription.
You can limit how much exposure
you get to allergens and
triggers, but having a backup
in case of emergency is always
a good idea. Make sure you
take your preventive or symptom
controller medications as
prescribed, and carry your reliever
with you when you leave
the house.
If you have questions or
concerns about your breathing
being affected by the seasonal
change, speak to your doctor
or healthcare provider.
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