Elderly to lose home support and resthome beds

new-zealand-labour-party

Thu Feb 25 2010 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)

Elderly to lose home support and resthome beds

Thursday, 25 February 2010, 5:29 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

**Elderly to lose home support and resthome beds in Government cost cutting
**
Elderly in the Southland and Otago DHB areas are not only having their home support cut - the DHBs will also cut resthome care for 1000 people, Labour Health spokesperson Ruth Dyson says.

“Elderly should not be seen as easy targets for the Minister of Health Tony Ryall and DHBs to inflict cost cutting exercises on,” Ruth Dyson said.

“DHBs are not only cutting home support which reduces the need for resthome level care, but that at the same time is cutting resthome services is disgraceful. Older Kiwis are being squeezed no matter what their choice of living arrangement is.

“The level of stress being inflicted on elderly concerned about home support and now resthome cuts is extremely concerning.

“My office has been told of a case where a 76 year old woman with leukaemia is almost certain to lose her 1 and half hours of home support a week, and when she rang the National Party offices in Southland she was simply given the cold shoulder and was told it was nothing to do with them.

“I will be taking the case of this lady up with the Minister of Health personally. However, it is simply unacceptable that elderly are having to go to the media or MPs to continue to receive a health care services they need,” Ruth Dyson said.

ENDS

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