Xawers mingħajr ħlas għal kura tal-anzjani fid-dar
Advocates cheer decision to make showers free for home-based aged care - Image centre-for-ageing-better-D2CxpwtgSgQ-unsplash edited.jpg
Il-Gvern Federali Awstraljan bidel id-deċiżjoni dwar il-fondi u l-ħlas tal-għajnuna lill-anzjani biex jieħdu xawer, wara li kien hemm ħafna ilmenti minn residenti, familji u dawk li jaħdmu favur l-anzjani, wara li bidliet ġodda bdew iseħħu mill-1 ta’ Novembru li għadda fil-kura tal-anzjani.
Il-Gvern federali Awstraljan bidel id-deċiżjoni dwar il-fondi u l-ħlas għall-għajnuna lill-anzjani biex jieħdu xawer wara li kien hemm ħafna lmenti minn residenti, familji u dawk li jaħdmu favur l-anzjani wara li bidliet ġodda bdew iseħħu mill-1 ta' Novembru li għadda fil-qasam tal-kura tal-anzjani.
The system being introduced on the 1st of November is the biggest reform to aged care in a generation. It is a very substantial package of reforms.
Dak kien il-Ministru tas-Saħħa Mark Butler meta tkellem f'Settembru tas-sena l-oħra dwar is-sistema l-ġdida tal-Gvern, li essenzjalment kienet tfisser li aktar Awstraljani anzjani se jkollhom jikkontribwixxu finanzjarjament għas-servizzi tal-kura tal-anzjani li jeħtieġu. Id-Direttur tan-network ta' dawk li jaħdmu favur persuni anzjani, OPAN, Samantha Edmonds tgħid li l-ewwel pass fil-proċess huwa li persuna tkun assessjata għal dak li jista' jkollha bżonn. Wara dan, il-persuna tingħata lista ta' servizzi li tista' tingħata minn dak il-pakkett.
After their assessment, they get given a list of services that they can, um, purchase.
Għal dawk li jingħataw servizzi ta' kura personali, ir-riformi jfissru li l-ħlas ma jiddependix kollu mill-Gvern. Nelson Ma huwa mit-tim tal-kollaborazzjoni tar-riċerka dwar l-anzjanità tal-Università tat-Teknoloġija ta' Sydney. Jgħid li l-Gvern ikompli jħallas il-parti klinika tal-infermiera, iżda mhux il-partijiet l-oħra kollha. Hawnhekk qed nitkellmu dwar affarijiet kollha tal-kura mhux diretta, jiġifieri l-ħasil tal-ħwejjeġ, catering, l-ispejjeż tat-tindif, kif ukoll parti mill-ispejjeż tal-akkomodazzjoni skont il-mezzi tar-resident. Dawk it-tipi ta' affarijiet se jibdew jiġu mħallsa sa ċertu punt mill-persuna li jkollha bżonn il-kura.
The government will continue to pay the clinical component, but then all the other components, um, so we, we are here, we're talking about the non-direct care components, so laundry, um, catering, uh, you know, cleaning costs, uh, as well as part of the accommodation costs, depending on the, the means of the resident. Uh, those types of things will start to be covered to a greater degree by, um, the recipient o-of, of care.
Iżda dik id-deċiżjoni dwar il-ħlasijiet qajmet tħassib immedjat fost dawk milquta. Il-Kap Eżekuttiv ta' Ageing Australia, Tom Symenson, kien fost dawk li argumentaw li l-Awstraljani anzjani l-aktar vulnerabbli li diġà kienu taħt pressjoni minħabba l-għoli tal-ħajja, kienu se jkunu agħar skont dawn ir-regoli ġodda.
We did not want to see older people sacrificing showering, basic hygiene and dignity because they couldn't afford it, and we've seen too many older people doing just that, sacrificing showers, having fewer showers per week.
Issa l-Gvern biddel lura d-deċiżjoni tiegħu. Il-Ministru tas-Saħħa Mark Butler ikkonferma f'diskors importanti lin-National Press Club li l-Gvern issa se jirkupra l-ispiża tal-għajnuna biex tieħu xawer billi jneħħi s-sussidji għall-assigurazzjoni tas-saħħa privata għall-Awstraljani anzjani.
I understand this won't be a welcome decision for many, but it is the right thing to do to reestablish intergenerational equity in the rebate system, and also to free up funding that we need to provide more dignity and more care to older Australians.
Tom Symenson jgħid li din kienet mossa tajba.
You know, it's unfortunate that it's not happening until October, but it's still a really good outcome that will benefit hundreds of thousands of older Australians right now and, and millions over the coming years.
Iżda jibqgħu kwistjonijiet ewlenin oħra. Il-listi ta' stennija għall-assessjar għall-kura tal-anzjani jibqgħu twal. Imbagħad meta jsir l-assessjar, l-aktar rapport riċenti tal-Kummissjoni tal-Produttività dwar is-servizzi tal-Gvern jgħid li l-Awstraljani anzjani qed jistennew xorta waħda medja ta' disa' xhur biex jiksbu aċċess għal servizzi ta' għajnuna fid-dar, li jinkludu għajnuna biex tieħu xawer, tħejjija tal-ikel u tindif. U skont Samantha Edmonds, dan ifisser li l-kondizzjonijiet tal-persuna tista' tmur għall-agħar u twassalha biex ikollha tħalli darha u tmur f'xi nursing home.
What we've been informed and what we're, um, seeing through our cases is that, um, when people seek a reassessment, they're actually then assessed as needing less, even though they need more in terms of services, um, and that some priorities seem, don't seem right either, like people that should be a high priority are, are getting a medium priority.
Hemm ukoll il-kwistjoni ta' dak li huwa magħruf bħala bed block, fejn listi twal ta' stennija jħallu lin-nies maqbuda fl-isptar. L-Uffiċjal Kap Operattiv ta' Uniting Care New South Wales, ACT, Patrick Reid diġà tkellem dwar dan, li huwa fenomenu ta' spiss wisq.
We know that there are a number of hospitals around the country which are experiencing delayed discharge, uh, where people are languishing in hospitals for long periods of time and, and don't, do not have access to either residential aged care or to return home.
Parti mir-raġuni għal dan id-dewmien hija t-talba kbira li hemm. Hemm ftit aktar minn mitejn u erbgħa u tletin elf persuna fuq il-lista ta' stennija għall-kura tal-anzjani fid-dar, li tinkludi madwar mija u tlett elef Awstraljani anzjani li qed jistennew biss li jiġu assessjati. Il-Gvern jgħid li qed jagħmel dak kollu li jista' biex jindirizza din il-problema u jiffinanzja servizzi li l-Awstraljani anzjani jeħtieġu. Mark Butler jgħid li l-mudell il-ġdid tal-finanzjament tal-kura tal-anzjani fid-dar qed juri li huwa aħjar mill-mod kif kien qabel.
We've also been closely monitoring the rollout of the new Support at Home program that started last year. This program is undeniably delivering improvements to the system. It's delivering more packages, better quality packages, and it's reducing wait times.
Għal informazzjoni jew għajnuna dwar il-kura tal-anzjani, jekk jogħġbok ċempel l-Aged Care Advocacy Line fuq 1800 700 600. Nirrepeti, 1800 700 600 jew żur opan.org.au.
