1988

Issues facing the Resthaven Board were significant changes to be implemented by the Commonwealth to Nursing Home hours, as well as changes to funding for Hostels and Day Therapy Centres.

“We are very fortunate at Resthaven having our Administrator, Mr. Kelvin Dickens, involved at top level in the consultancies with the Commonwealth on all of these issues. His leadership is one of great commendation not only by Resthaven but by the Aged Care industry as a whole.”

“This past year has seen consolidation in the area of nursing home funding arrangements. Each of our existing residents has been classified ready for entry into the new system. All are now in categories one to five, with the attendant reduction in staff hours being evident. — Kelvin Dickens

Regrettably, we must accept that, whichever political party is in power, we will not gain the levels of funding necessary to provide the level of care needed by our increasingly frail and more dependent residents. The Australian community will not accept the tax levy necessary to achieve it. — Kelvin Dickens

All staff have done a great job in continuing to give a very high level of care in very difficult circumstances. We have a double task — less hours to give care and more dependent people who require greater care! — Kelvin Dickens

Hostels have gained quite a substantial increase in the personal care subsidy. Unfortunately, the base level was inadequate to provide the sort of care needed. Today, whilst the value has increased substantially, it falls well short of the equivalent funding for the less-dependent nursing home residents categorised as 4 or 5. It is expected that these residents will be care for in hostels but, with the lower subsidy level, there is no incentive to care for them in the hostel, nor is there any incentive to maintain them or admit them to nursing homes. They have become a group of displaced people for whom no one can afford to provide care. — Kelvin Dickens

“Decline in nursing home staff hours as was expected through changes to funding policies.” — Richard Hearn

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