Families seeking care turned away

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Carers of elderly family members are struggling to get a Christmas break because of a lack of respite care.

Short-term respite care ensures a break for those caring for elderly family members at home.

The general manager of Waikuku rest home Ashbridge, Peter Fitt, said he had turned away 10 families seeking respite places during the holiday season. He did not have beds available until January 18.

Fitt said elderly people were being encouraged to stay in their homes, increasing pressure on respite care.

However, if a respite bed was not used, the provider did not receive funding for the space. That had put off some respite providers, Fitt said.

"People definitely struggle at the moment," he said.

"Most places prefer to take permanent people because it's guaranteed income."

Hopefully, this would change with the introduction of fully funded respite beds. Canterbury will have 11.5 more respite beds from early next year.

An extra $270,000 in Government funding to the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) will provide for four respite beds.

From mid-2010, the board will receive another $560,000, annually. It is unclear how many respite beds that will fund.

The South Canterbury District Health Board (SCDHB) will receive $74,000 annually that will fund 1.5 beds.

SCDHB chief executive Chris Fleming said the board would fund another six beds, with 7.5 beds in total available from March.

Admatha Dementia Care and Avonlea Rest Home director Alison Hume said their two dementia beds in Christchurch were booked over Christmas and into January.

"This is an essential service for families," she said.

"Regular breaks can really assist with making it feasible for people to stay at home longer."

Canterbury's Caring for Carers social worker Ivana Korunic-Menendez said some aged-care facilities were converting rest-home beds into hospital beds that attracted higher funding.

This left fewer respite beds.

"It does seem to be a trend that they are getting out of respite-care beds because it's just not viable for them," she said.

Korunic-Menendez said the biggest issue was finding beds for young disabled people who did not want to spend time in aged-care facilities.

The new beds in Canterbury would have some impact, but not solve the problem.

CDHB planning and funding team leader Toni Gutschlag said the funding would widen access to respite beds, which could be difficult for those in rural areas.

"From time to time there have been issues accessing specific levels of care, such as hospital or dementia care," she said. "This situation will improve when contracts are agreed for four new dedicated respite beds in Canterbury"

- © Fairfax NZ News