Grey Power September 2019

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6 NZ GREYPOWER MAGAZINE » SEPTEMBER 2019 Residential Care: what you need to know Under the Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001, residential care homes (rest homes) are audited on a regular basis against the relevant service standards to ensure they provide safe and reasonable levels of service to consumers. While in general rest home services are provided to a good standard, occasionally it doesn’t go as well as expected. Raising concerns you have about the quality of care you or someone you know is receiving provides an opportunity for residential care providers to become aware of issues, find solutions and improve their care. It’s therefore critical that there’s an effective complaints system in place for residents, for families and whānau, and actually for the rest home providers themselves. In 2018 a collaborative piece of work involving the Ministry of Health (the Ministry), the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner, the Health Quality and Safety Commission (HQSC), DHBs, providers and consumers was undertaken to strengthen the complaints framework in aged residential care. As a result, in June 2019 the Ministry published a new residential complaints information section on the Ministry’s website. It contains information and new resources to help residents, families/ whānau, and providers with complaints management. Anyone can make a complaint about rest home care in New Zealand by discussing issues directly with a service provider. Most complaints can be addressed quickly by discussing the issue with your service provider. If you don’t feel able to do this directly, the Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service (Advocacy Service) offers free advocacy support to anyone receiving residential care. You can also contact your local health of older persons DHB Portfolio Manager, Healthcert or the Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) who can assist with the management of your complaint. You can find more information about what to do if you have concerns or would like to make a complaint on the Ministry’s website: https://www.health.govt. nz/residential-care-complaints. Uncertain future for pensioner housing Pensioner housing is one of the top issues in the lead up to the local body elections. Zone Five director KEVIN GARDENER is concerned about the possible consequences of an impending Tasman District Council review of its pensioner housing. Housing for low income people has been local body business for about 60 years, starting in 1938 with the Christchurch City Council, the first to erect purpose-built rental housing for pensioners. Nelson City Council provided public housing during S.I. Russell’s tenure as Mayor (1958 to 1962), and by 1977, the council owned 99 units. In Tasman Council, flats were built in Bird Street in 1985, later followed by Maling Cottages and Aotea Place units. Nelson City Council currently has 142 units at nine different sites, while Tasman District Council has 101 units at six different sites. Inability to access the Government Income Related Rental Subsidy is often given by councils as the main reason for seeking to exit ownership of its pensioner housing. The rental subsidy is the difference between the calculated IRR for a client’s household and the approved market rent for the vacancy. The IRRS is the portion paid to the housing provider by the Ministry of Social Development. To be eligible for the subsidy, the pensioner tenant must have income under the income threshold, which is 1.5 times the living alone rate of New Zealand Superannuation for sole persons. These households may include other people or boarders, or 1.5 times the rate of married NZ Superannuation for all other household composition types, and have assets valued under the asset threshold. This is currently 10 percent of the national average house sales priced Kevin Gardener indexed annually. About a quarter of older people living in council housing are members of Grey Power and Nelson Grey Power has raised its concerns with both Councils about protection of present and future tenants if this housing is divested or sold to the private or charitable sector. Tasman District Council’s proposed review is raising concerns. Pensioners seeking subsidised housing for the first time are to be placed on a Ministry of Development list, with a smaller list being given to the housing provider with a vacancy to choose a tenant from. There is potential for older people to be given less priority than others seeking subsidised housing. A number of council housing tenants have indicated they feel insecure and vulnerable to eviction. Tasman District Council currently charges pensioner tenants 80 percent of market value and is making a profit of around $114,000 pa, which goes into funding council reserves and facilities. Nelson City Council charges around 50 percent of market value and requires a ratepayer subsidy of $8 per rated property a year. Nelson City Council has estimated that its units will require $20 million in maintenance over the next 20-25 years. This and the need to meet Healthy Homes legislation, appears to be one of the key motivations for selling. Clearly two local councils have taken a very different approach to management of their housing assets and the uncertainty for pensioner tenants around sale of their homes continues to be stressful. Nelson Grey Power continues to push for adequate protection for them. Choosing a residential care home? Find out how well your local residential care service meets Ministry of Health Standards: www.health.govt.nz/audits Unhappy about your residential care service? Find out ways to raise your concerns or make a complaint: www.health.govt.nz/residential-care-complaints 200644AA
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Grey Power September 2019

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