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Central Government, Digital Inclusion, Policy

Australia to spend US$2M on homeless aged

By Alice Kok | 9 January 2009

Acting Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Justine Elliot, Minister for Ageing have announced a US$2 million grant to Wintringham, a Melbourne-based organisation that provides affordable housing and support services to elderly homeless people.

The grant will expand Wintringham’s service by constructing a 60-place residential aged care facility for homeless older people in Dandenong, Victoria.

The organisation has been operating for 20 years and now provides aged care and housing services to more than 800 people in Melbourne each night, including nearly 200 people in its residential facilities. The new accommodation to be built in Dandenong will provide both high and low care residential aged care services for older people who are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless.

Thus far, the Australian government has contributed more than US$7 million to Wintringham and will continue providing at least US$1 million per year to help with operational costs.

Eliot further detailed the Rudd Labour Government’s plans for homeless older Australians:

Amending the Aged Care Act 1997 to include homeless older people as a “special needs” group to formally recognise their unique requirements

Allocating aged care places in future Aged Care Approval Rounds – to allow aged providers with a proven track record in the field of homeless older people to apply for specific beds

Providing capital funds for at least one new specialist facility for homeless older people a year for the next four years to 2012.

The government has released a White Paper on homelessness based on the Assistance for Care and Housing for the Aged (ACHA) programme which links old, homeless people to care and accommodation. By 2020, Australia aims to half overall homeless and to provide accommodation to all rough sleepers who seek it.

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