Subject: Young people in Nursing Homes? You've got to be Joking!!
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 10:31:22 +1100
From: Joseph Connellan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
I am writing to inform you of and seek your support for the Day of Action
on April 1, 2000 aimed at drawing attention to the inappropriate
accommodation of young people in nursing homes for the aged.
Background and Issues
The campaign includes all young people in nursing homes not just people
with acquired brain injury (ABI). The key objective of the campaign will
be to seek agreement by State and Federal Governments to a timeframe for
relocating young people out of nursing homes for the aged into
more appropriate accommodation options. A number of feasible options have
been clearly articulated in the many reports that have been completed on
this issue. These options may include nursing homes developed especially
for younger people and cluster developments in existing nursing homes.
Other options will also be required to accommodate the diverse needs of
this group.
The Crisis Account (a project of Advocacy Victoria) identified that there
were 1,152 Victorian under 65 living in nursing homes. According to the
Commonwealth Government approximately 280 of these people would be less
than fifty years old. The Commonwealth Government maintains that, while
nursing homes for the aged are inappropriate for young people in most
circumstances, they should be maintained as a last resort.
A number of reports, including the "Study into Accommodation Needs for
Young People Needing Nursing Home Level of Care" (1999), Melbourne City
Mission, have identified a number of possible initiatives. None have proceeded.
Project Strategies
In Victoria , the project will use six forums (Five rural and one
metropolitan) to resource people to plan and prepare for the Day of Action.
Each of these strategies will be aimed at empowering people to raise
community and government awareness about this important issue.
Headway Victoria is working in partnership with a number of disability and
advocacy agencies in each of the five rural DHS regions to resource the
planning workshops. The forums will occur in Sale (10 February 2000),
Warrnambool (16 February 2000), Horsham (21 February 2000), Mildura (2
March 2000) and Wodonga (9 March 2000). An additional one will be
undertaken for the metropolitan region (19 March 2000).
Links to Other organizations
In order to promote a broad based campaign, links will be made to as many
other agencies as possible. This campaign is part of a national action
co-ordinated by the Head Injury Council of Australia (HICOA). Particular
care will be taken to inform aged care providers including nursing home
operators to ensure that this campaign is not seen criticism of their
particular service but rather an attempt to address a systemic issue.
How you can help
You can help by :
a.) Sending us a photo of you wearing Groucho Marx glasses to indicate
your support. (Be warned. We may publish the photo.)
b.) Sending us a photo of someone famous or not so famous wearing the glasses.
c.) Coming to a planning workshop.
d.) Coming to the march.
e.) Spreading the word around your networks.
f.) Sending us a letter of support.
The campaign is being resourced by Headway Victoria's Systemic Advocacy
Worker, Victoria Chipperfield. She can be contacted on 96422411 or
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
If you have any queries please contact Victoria or myself on 96422411 or
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cheers.
Joseph Connellan,
CEO,
Headway Victoria,
Acquired Brain Injury Association Inc.
www.headwayvictoria.org.au
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Melbourne
Australia.
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