By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
Moving disabled young people out of local aged care facilities will cost an extra $11.2 million above National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding, according to a new report.
The Summer Foundation and PricewaterhouseCoopers report said an extra 15 people would be in residential aged care by June 2016 in the Barwon NDIS launch area.
The region had 81 people aged under 65 in residential aged care in the Barwon NDIS region in June 2012, the report said.
The figure was forecast to rise to 96 by June 2016.
Foundation head Dr Di Winkler said the NDIS was unable to resolve the issue of young people living in aged care facilities because of a shortage of suitable accommodation.
Report co-author Dr Winkler, said the situation was dire.
“The NDIS is a crucial part of the solution to the issue of young people in nursing homes and will provide the funding for disability supports that this group needs to live in the community.
“However, we anticipate that very few young people will move out of nursing homes in the launch sites because there is nowhere to move to.
“There is a desperate need for more affordable and accessible housing options for people with disability. Housing for people with disability is still the responsibility of public and community housing.”
Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes said a lack of accessible and affordable housing would remain a problem even after the NDIS was fully operational.
“The community housing sector needs to get ready to meet the needs of young people in aged care nursing homes and the tens of thousands of other people with disability who will have funding for support, but no housing to live in.”
The report said the NDIS would need a “large injection of capital funds and a building plan and program” to help young people in residential aged care.
The report said disabled young people living in nursing homes were marginalised and isolated, generally leading impoverished lives of loneliness and boredom.
