DHB over budget on rest care

The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board spent $1.5 million more than budgeted on residential care in rest homes in the financial year just ended.

Board health of older people portfolio manager Mark Garisch told a meeting of the board's disability support advisory committee that expenditure on the health of older people was $1.3 million above budget.

The main reason was an increase in spending on dementia care.

Mr Garisch said a pool of people had held off entry to dementia care until the 29 new beds became available in Nelson.

At the time geriatricians routinely gave people who might require rest home care in the near future a letter of eligibility, so they could take up this option in the future.

That had now changed, with people now assessed by Support-Works and a geriatrician before entering rest home care, to see whether more could be done to keep them at home.

A report to the committee said home-based support services were overspent by $253,000 as a new system for objectively assessing need did not yet apply to all clients.

Respite care which gave people a short break from caring for older people was $75,000 over budget. Marlborough's sole dedicated respite bed at Ashwood Park had an over 70 per cent occupancy.

Community representative George Truman said the maximum value of assets a person could own to qualify for subsidised rest home care had crept up to $200,000, meaning taxpayers were paying out more.

Mr Garisch said five years ago 50 per cent of rest home residents had subsidised care compared with 75 per cent now.

- The Marlborough Express

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