General News
22 November, 2023
Have your say on aged care
MOMENTUM is building for the future of aged care in Terang as residents begin to have their say. The newly-established Steering Committee held a listening post in High Street, last Wednesday to collect feedback from residents and gauge support for...
MOMENTUM is building for the future of aged care in Terang as residents begin to have their say.
The newly-established Steering Committee held a listening post in High Street, last Wednesday to collect feedback from residents and gauge support for aged care in the community.
It was estimated more than 100 residents offered their support on the day, with more expected to make their voice heard as feedback remains open over the next few weeks.
Steering Committee chair Chris O’Connor said the listening post highlighted the need for aged care services in Terang.
“Our goal is to gather people’s thoughts on aged care in Terang, to hear their thoughts and trepidations for not having this vital service in their own town and being forced to go elsewhere when they do need that high level of aged care,” he said.
Mr O’Connor urged the community to have their say to support building a compelling case for the government to explore potential options.
Residents can still provide written submissions in boxes at the Terang Co-op IGA and Reicha’s Drapery on High Street and online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/terangagedcare.
The online survey will remain open until the end of November.
“Don’t underestimate the impact of your voice,” Mr O’Connor said.
“When we make our submission in the future, our collective voices will be so valuable.”
The Steering Committee are planning to use the collected submissions before government to request funding for a comprehensive business case study.
The committee believes the study could prove both the viability and necessity of a Terang-based aged care facility in to the future.
“What we’re doing is in part to get some funding to do a large business case study which can capture a demographic picture of our community,” Mr O’Connor said.
“Our aged population growth and need for aged care in our community will make a strong case, and sometime next year we hope to be in a position to go to the government and demonstrate the need for a new facility in our community - be that a new commonwealth-funded facility or state facility through the extension of the Terang hospital.”
Steering Committee member Eve Black said among the concerns raised was the loss of respite care, which placed a higher degree of pressure on those caring for loved ones.
“If you have someone who is being looked after by a carer, we cannot forget the carer also needs a break and those being cared for need to have somewhere to go,” she said.
Steering Committee member Ken McSween said respite was also often a transitional step for those moving on to residential aged care.
“The last thing you want is respite in the town but not the aged care to follow on to,” he said.
“A gentleman told me he has a bad knee and his wife is blind, so what happens when one of them gets sick?”
A preliminary demographic profile of Terang and Noorat over the next 20 years highlights an expected population growth of 5.2 per cent, with the over 60 population expected to grow 14.1 per cent.
As the wider community ages questions have been raised if existing residential beds in the region will struggle to keep up with a surge in demand.
Mrs Black said she feared the loss of aged care could force aging residents to pre-emptively move elsewhere while also deterring new residents from moving to the region.
“People look at communities and assess what is there and what they may need – having a good aged care facility to go to is part of the lifestyle change and expectation of having somewhere they know they can be looked after,” she said.
Steering Committee member Des McKinnon said it was not only the elderly members of the community who needed access to those services, but some Cooinda participants had been forced to seek alternative arrangements elsewhere.
“At Cooinda there were aging clients at May Noonan who have had to go elsewhere,” he said.
“That’s going to be a continuing need which takes them out of their comfort zone.”
Steering Committee member Geraldine Conheady said among the concerns raised at the listening post was older residents fearing they would lose contact with those they loved most if forced to move on from their community.
“People have expressed concern about having to travel outside of their community if they need to access high level aged care,” she said.
“They really want to remain in place where they are happy and comfortable, where their friends and relatives can visit them, and where they can maintain the social connections which have been built over decades.
“Having to drive a distance to visit makes things difficult for people if their spouse, friends or family do not have a driver’s license.”
With the closure of the 40-bed May Noonan Centre on May 31 this year, just 15 government-funded residential beds remain at Mount View Aged Care Centre for Terang’s 2300 residents.
The Steering Committee has vowed to explore all potential options with relevant providers, levels of government and the wider community as the business case study is sought.
