COTA NT calls for nursing homes not museums
13 Mar 2018
Seniors residing permanently in the Royal Darwin Hospital need a a place to call home
COTA NT is delighted with Minister McCarthy’s recent announcement of a $69m investment towards public housing repairs and maintenance.
It appears that the NT government has listened to COTA NT’s continuous lobbying for safe, secure and affordable housing for seniors and this is an excellent start. The public housing wait list is an estimated 9 years long. It is hoped this investment will start to put a dent in this waiting time. Seniors living in private rental accommodation, even with Commonwealth Rental Assistance are struggling and just surviving. We continue to receive calls and emails from people in this situation. This investment will give these seniors hope that they will eventually have an affordable place to call home.
We also hear from seniors, families and carers of other seniors who don’t have a permanent home or any choice and who currently reside at the Royal Darwin Hospital permanently. These seniors also need a place to call ‘home’ such as a not-for-profit nursing home. Over 40 older Territorians are located at the RDH at a cost of $2,000 per day. COTA NT would like to government to put this money to better use by providing these Territorians with a safe and secure home as well.
As the current NT government has listened to concerns about public housing, COTA NT is now urging this NT government to scrap the idea of a museum and instead look carefully at providing Territorians who need long-term health care with a solution. Re-development of the old hospital site of Myilly Point into a long-term care facility would perhaps better serve Territory’s living and personal heritage, whilst providing a much-needed solution for the future.
Government’s core business is law and order including safety, education, health and providing the infrastructure and personnel for these services to be delivered effectively. It’s time to go back to basics and core business. This includes ensuring that vulnerable Territorians are looked after properly.
~ Sue Shearer, CEO COTA NT
Tags: Seniors Voice
