Steve Chadwick
Senior Citizens Spokesperson

21 September 2011

Elderly need services not a booklet

A Government funded booklet supposedly designed to improve access to home help will be seen by those who have had their home help slashed for exactly what it is - a cynical move by National to pull in votes, says Labour's spokesperson for Senior Citizens Steve Chadwick.

“The Minister of Health today trumpeted the publication of a new booklet telling people how to go about getting a needs assessment and how to access home help services as ' the latest initiative in a number of improvements in the aged care sector'.

"I wonder if it will help the thousands of elderly in places like Wellington, South Canterbury, Canterbury, Otago and Southland who have had their home help cut to help fund Government approved service cuts,” Steve Chadwick said.

“National approved numerous DHBs making changes 'eligibility criteria' to home help in order to reduce the number of people receiving home based support. These changes affected thousands of people, something the National Government has taken no responsibility. and.

“Nowhere in Mr Ryall’s press release does he even acknowledge the cutbacks - which some in the sector have described as possibly endangering older people - which he approved.

“I finding it astoundingly arrogant of the National Government to issue a booklet on how to access a service it has taken a razor to over the last three years,” Steve Chadwick said

ENDS

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