The Aged Care Association (ACA) backs Wairoa Mayor Craig Little in his criticism of government inaction that has left the town without a single aged care bed more than two years after Cyclone Gabrielle.

Mayor Little has called the lack of residential care in Wairoa an "emergency" that has been ignored by everyone "from the Prime Minister down."

"Our association raised this issue more than a year ago, urging ministers to act, and offering to work with government to resolve this crisis. At the time, we were told it was under control, and no help was needed. Yet over a year on, Wairoa families are still left to provide hospital-level care at home, without equipment, medication, or specialist support," says ACA Chief Executive, Hon. Tracey Martin, "and care partners are breaking due to the inability to receive respite support at appropriate levels."

The Association is once again calling on the government to work with our sector to deliver care for Wairoa immediately.

"We have members ready and willing to step up for Wairoa. We just need a serious commitment from government and its agencies to make this happen."

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