No more talk, dementia services need funding and action

Alzheimers NZ says the Government now has the evidence, recommendations and plans it needs to act on aged care and dementia, and there can be no justification for further delay. 

Alzheimers NZ Co-Chairs Eileen Basher and Dianne Stokes have welcomed the Aged Care Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) report, A Place to Grow Old – Securing the Future of Aged Care, saying it tackles a difficult and longstanding problem with thoughtfulness and purpose. 

“The report makes clear that New Zealand needs to change the way it supports older people. We agree, but we have reached the point where discussion must translate into funding and action,” Ms Basher says. 

Alzheimers NZ particularly welcomes the MAG’s endorsement of the Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan. 

Ms Basher says it is important independent recognition of a plan developed by the dementia community. 

“We don’t need another dementia plan. We need to fund and implement the one we already have.” 

Alzheimers NZ also welcomes proposals to increase funding across parts of aged care, but says the apparent omission of specialist community dementia services is a serious concern. 

“Community dementia services are already struggling. They need fair, appropriate and sustainable funding, and they need it urgently. We can’t stress this enough,” Ms Basher says. 

“These are the services helping people with dementia remain independent and living at home for longer. They support care partners and whānau, provide navigation, education and day programmes, and help people avoid or delay needing hospital or residential care. 

“You cannot build an aged-care system around keeping people well and independent at home while leaving the community services needed to achieve that objective struggling to survive.” 

Properly funding community dementia services should be an integral part of the Government’s response to the MAG report. 

“It makes no sense to invest more heavily when people reach residential or hospital care, while underfunding services that can help keep them out of those settings for longer,” Ms Basher says. 

“Fair funding for community dementia services is not an optional extra. It is fundamental to making the model proposed by the MAG work. 

“The problems are well understood. The evidence is there. The MAG has done its work. And for dementia mate wareware, the Action Plan is already there. 

“No more talk. Fund the services, implement the Plan and get on with it.”