The South Australian Government allocated nearly $60 million to aged care initiatives in last week's Budget, as nearly 350 older hospital patients – well enough to be discharged – remain in hospital beds while they wait for residential aged care or Memory Support Unit placement.
The State Government has pledged $42.9 million over four years, in partnership with the Federal Government, to support older people who are, or are at risk of becoming, long-stay hospital patients, including a Geriatric Outreach Service and Patient Support Initiative that`may help their transition into residential aged care facilities or other appropriate settings.
The SA Government has also allocated $8 million over three years in partnership with the Commonwealth Government, to upgrade the Charla Lodge aged care facility (pictured below) at Bordertown Memorial Hospital, more than 250km southeast of Adelaide.
A further $7.3 million has been promised over four years to improve efficiency at the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT), which reviews government civil and administrative law disputes such as those related to guardianship, to help with the "timely discharge of patients from hospital into residential aged care facilities," stated the Government.
