The giant blue ‘Time to deliver for aged care in Budget 2010' postcard addressed to Ms Roxon is part of the Australian Nursing Federation's national Because We Care community campaign lobbying for vital funding increases to address the complex challenges facing the residential aged care sector.
The special postcard delivery coincides with the launch of the national Australian Nursing Federation's Because We Care television and radio commercial which asks Australians to lobby their local Federal Member for more aged care funding. Advertisements will start airing in Victoria for three weeks from Sunday 14 March.
ANF (Vic Branch) Assistant Secretary Yvonne Chaperon said: "The community is calling on the Rudd Government to increase funding in the next Budget to ensure the aged care sector employs a mandated minimum number of skilled registered nurses and qualified care staff to provide quality care to older Australians and pays them fair wages.
"Aged care facilities are responsible for caring for residents who have multiple chronic diseases and conditions such as vascular disease, cardiac ischaemia, Alzheimer's and dementia, diabetes, renal failure and cancer. Some nursing homes and hostels have one registered nurse for every 50 to 60 residents which makes it impossible to properly care for the residents.
"Our loved ones, our parents, our grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends living in nursing homes require a loud voice at the table when the Rudd Government makes the budget decisions that will impact on their health and quality of care. We are asking Ms Roxon to be one of those voices." she said.
The Federal ANF Because We Care community campaign aims to:
- introduce mandated minimum aged care nurse resident ratios (one nurse to seven residents)
- pay fair wages to registered nurses and personal care workers
- recognise the professional skills of personal care workers through a national licensing system
- introduce a guarantee that tax payer funding is used for nursing care.
Media photo opportunity
When: Thursday 11 March, 3.30pm
What: Aged care registered nurses will deliver two giant Because We Care campaign postcards to Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon's Gellibrand electorate office
Where: 1 Thomas Holmes Street, Maribyrnong
