Regions a priority as record Aged Care offering opens

3 July 2018

Regions a priority as record Aged Care offering opens 
The Coalition Government’s 2018-19 Aged Care Approvals Round (ACAR) opened yesterday with a 35% increase over the previous year’s offering, as a result of the Coalition’s $5 billion budget boost to aged care.

Existing and prospective aged care providers in Wide Bay are encouraged to apply for a share in a record offering of more than 14,000 new aged care places, with a special focus on rural, regional and remote locations.
 
Federal Member for Wide Bay, Llew O’Brien, welcomed this record round and said that the Wide Bay community stands to benefit from this funding.
 
“I understand how important it is to help people continue to live in their own communities amongst those they know and love,” Mr O’Brien said.
 
“The Coalition Government’s commitment to prioritising suitable proposals for aged care will to regional areas this year presents a great opportunity for Wide Bay to benefit from the additional care and support for our older residents.”
 
Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt said, “There has never been a better time for existing and potential regional providers to apply to develop or expand aged care operations.
 
“A total of 13,500 new residential care places and 775 short-term restorative care places are on offer across the nation, along with $60 million in capital grants for aged care construction and expansion.
 
“There will be a further $40 million available in 2019 for rural, regional and remote aged care construction,” Minister Wyatt said..
 
“The Budget also includes a record $105.7 million to expand the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care program in remote communities.”
 
The 2018-19 ACAR application period is open for six weeks, from 2 July until 10 August.
 
Application forms and guidelines are now available on the Department of Health website.
ENDS