First sod turned on Cooma's new Werri-Nina care facility

Date:  16 October 2009

First sod turned on Cooma's new

Werri-Nina care facility

Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Federal Member for Eden-Monaro, Mike Kelly and State Member for Monaro, Steve Whan were joined today by NSW Minister for Ageing and Disability Services Paul Lynch for the symbolic 'turning of the sod' on the Werri-Nina dementia day care centre in Cooma.

The $1.57 million centre is jointly funded by the Rudd ($940,000) and Rees ($630,000) Governments under the Home and Community Care (HACC) program.

Steve Whan said, "HACC delivers affordable and accessible care to help meet the individual needs of older people, younger people with a disability, and their carers which helps them remain independent and in their own homes.

"Our older community members tell us that they want to remain independent and in their own homes and communities.

"Without Home and Community Care services, such as those offered at dementia day care centres, many people would have to move prematurely into residential care, Steve Whan said.

Mike Kelly said dementia day care centres are one way the State and Federal Governments are responding to the challenges of an ageing population.

"These centres provide outings, day trips, support, nursing and allied health services to people with dementia and their carers, Mike Kelly said.

"This new dementia day care centre is an example of the concrete steps that the Rudd and Rees Governments are taking to meet the needs of our ageing population.

"The centre will provide a much-needed boost to dementia services in the Cooma region.

"This new centre will help meet the ever increasing demand for these services in our area, Mike Kelly said.

NSW Ageing and Disability Services Minister Paul Lynch thanked the Contact Centre and Meals on Wheels committee members who raised $60,000 towards Werri-Nina.

"This centre enjoys the overwhelming support of the Cooma region and it is fantastic to visit today and see how enthused the entire community is about this project, Paul Lynch said.

Werri-Nina means a good place and a place for everyone.

Day programs for frail aged and younger people with a disability that are currently provided at the Contact Centre, such as well as Meals on Wheels, Social support, Home Modifications and Maintenance and Case Management will be relocated to Werri-Nina in Sharp Street.

The NSW Government is providing more than $354,000 to Cooma-Monaro Shire Council to deliver HACC services in the region.

HACC Facts

In 2009-10 the HACC program will receive funding of around $1.9 billion nationally, with almost $1.2 billion of this contributed by the Rudd Government.

In 2008-09 NSW received joint funding of $546.3 million, of which the Commonwealth Government contributed almost $327.0 million and the NSW Government $219.3 million.

In 2007-08, more than 830,000 people across Australia received HACC services. 

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