Advocates cautiously welcome push to transition younger people with a disability out of aged care
Tuesday’s federal budget will see $10 million in funding set aside to transition younger people living in aged care to age-appropriate accommodation.
Resources
Public hearing 3 report – The experience of living in a group home for people with disability
The Royal Commission held a public hearing in Melbourne from Monday 2 December to Friday 6 December 2019. It inquired into homes and living for people with disability in Victoria and particularly the experiences of people who have lived or are currently living in group homes. This report finds that the closure of large institutions housing people with disability, with the resulting development of group homes has not eliminated institutional forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation experienced by people with disability, particularly those with serious intellectual disabilities.
People with disability denied care choices
Far too many people with a disability are denied choices about their accommodation, often leading to neglect and abuse, a royal commission says. It said a shift from large housing complexes to smaller group homes had not eliminated institutional forms of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Models of integrated care, health and housing
This report finds that integrated models for care, health and housing that are embedded in the community are the most effective at empowering clients and carers to take a lead in meeting their own needs and preferences. Incorporating literature reviews on integrated care models and consultation with key experts and providers of integrated care in Australia, this research provides an overview and analysis of integrated models of care for older people, as they relate to health care, social care, and housing or accommodation in Australia.
COVID-19 crisis looming in disability services, advocates warn
The evacuation of all the residents from a special accommodation facility at the centre of a COVID-19 cluster has prompted warnings that disability services will face more outbreaks without immediate intervention.
Governments urged to prioritise Victorians with disability during second COVID wave
Disability groups say a holistic plan is urgently needed to protect Victorians with disability during the state’s extended lockdown period, and prevent a deadly outbreak from occurring in group homes.
Quiet housing revolution slowly giving Australians with disabilities more options
Under this new housing model, multiple apartments in a complex are built with features such as reinforced concrete for wheelchair hoists, voice recognition technology to open blinds and doors, and accessible bathrooms. There’s also a concierge with an on-call support worker to assist residents when their own carers clock off. Residents can choose their own support workers and use their NDIS funding to pay them.
Supported Independent Living Report
The committee was very critical of how complicated and confusing the whole process was – and just how little had changed over the last few years. The report makes 45 sensible and practical recommendations – including making things simpler, easier and faster. And giving people more support so they can genuinely explore alternatives. Importantly, the committee also recommended more funding for advocacy so that people have support to make choices for themselves about where they live, who they live with and how they want to live their lives.
Australians unable to access disability home care services due to red tape, report says
Some urgent changes are needed to help Australians with disabilities live independently at home, a report by a bipartisan parliamentary committee says.
Disabled voices heard at royal commission
“I have found the move into supported accommodation resulted in extreme loss of control of my life,” Dr Gibilisco told the disability royal commission on Monday. “I have found it to be a loss to my way of life in a personal and social sense.”
Disability royal commission hears man in care suffered severe injuries and had to live in filth
An Adelaide mother has told the disability royal commission her son suffered severe injuries and was made to live in filth while in residential care.
People experiencing homelessness struggling to navigate the NDIS
During a session at the Victorian Homelessness Conference, panellists from across the social sector discussed how the NDIS was catering to people with disability who were homeless or at risk.
‘It felt like a prison’ – too many young Australians are still stuck in nursing homes
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety turns its attention this week to hearings focused on younger people with disabilities living in residential aged care facilities. Around 6,000 Australians aged under 65 live in aged care, and numbers have only changed slightly in the last decade.
The Aged Care Royal Commission is an opportunity to permanently eliminate the need for young people to enter residential aged care
Ahead of giving evidence at the Aged Care Royal Commission hearings in Melbourne this week, Luke Bo’sher outlines his key arguments around why young people end up in aged care and what can be done to stop it happening.
Young people with disabilities are trapped in nursing homes
It is hard to live your life surrounded by death. That is the confronting challenge facing around 6,000 young people with disabilities who are in Australian nursing homes. One young woman recently told us of the pain of watching 40 people she knew die in her first two years in a home. Another had tears streaming down her face every time a death was announced on the public address system and the favourite song of the deceased was played.