Possible cuts to aged care services are ‘soul destroying’

Possible Government plans to further decimate the aged care sector by cutting more services shows complete disregard for a whole generation of vulnerable New Zealanders, says Alzheimers NZ. 

Chief executive Catherine Hall was responding to claims by the Aged Care Association that plans are afoot to cut 200,000 hospital bed nights a year to save money. 

The Aged Care Association claims Health NZ is drafting a Cabinet paper to make it harder to get into residential care, while also removing some of the home and community support services, again to save money. 

Health NZ has since denied accusations that it has shut the aged care sector out of its planning, saying no final decisions have been made and consultation with the sector is ongoing. 

“We certainly hope it’s true that Health NZ is still open to considering different service and funding models, because if the Aged Care Association’s concerns are correct, it will be devastating for a whole generation of older, vulnerable New Zealanders who rely on these much-needed health and aged care services,” Ms Hall says. 

The Health Select Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into aged care services.  The Coalition Agreement also highlights the need for a bipartisan agreement for funding of dementia mate wareware  care and beds now and in the future. 

“It’s difficult to reconcile the possibility of service cuts for older people with the Coalition Agreement, and it makes a mockery of the Select Committee’s inquiry. 

“Certainly the dementia community hasn’t seen much evidence of ongoing consultation, despite the fact we have stressed our willingness to engage.” 

Ms Hall says Aotearoa New Zealand’s ageing population and the associated stresses an ageing population places on the health system should not have been a surprise to health sector decision makers. 

“But somehow Aotearoa New Zealand has found itself caught very short when it comes to providing equitable health care and support to our older people who have worked and paid taxes all their lives, only to be let down by people who should have known much better.” 

The system is broken and Alzheimers NZ has been calling for government to implement the Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan and to fairly fund Aotearoa New Zealand’s 17 community-based dementia mate wareware services that support people with dementia mate wareware to live independently at home for as long as possible. 

Ms Hall says these services help keep people at home and independent, but they are at capacity meaning some 30,000 New Zealanders are already missing out on this essential help.  

“And now we hear that Government plans to further reduce services for older people and those with dementia across the continuum. It’s soul destroying! 

“Rather than cutting services as the Aged Care Association indicates this Government is considering, they should invest in the aged care sector – the very services that take pressure of hospitals and primary care.  

“That just makes sense, something that seems to be lacking right now when it comes to decision making in the health and aged care sectors.”