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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 4321 ..

MR CORNWELL (continuing):

Recommendation 12 states:

That the opportunity for networking with day centres outside of the ACT is explored.

Where does this leave our vulnerable old people? Where does this leave old people who will be uprooted from familiar surrounds and places they know? They are now simply part of a 27-recommendation review, much of which is irrelevant to these people's immediate needs. I welcome the Chief Minister and minister for ageing, who has finally joined us in this debate. Thank you, sir.

I am not too convinced that the last 11 of the 27 recommendations, which relate to client care, do much either. Recommendation 21 reads:

That there is a commitment to maintain and improve carer involvement in the care planning of clients.

You may well look like that, Ms Dundas. I wonder how much that will assist the vulnerable old people who will be affected. Recommendation 22 reads:

That the Carer's Support groups are offered at all centres facilitated by centre staff and a social worker or psychologist.

Fine, if it can be done. But again, does it assist the people who are at the moment under threat of this change?

I think the report owes more to bureaucratic needs than to clients. The people who are currently being looked after at the Dickson and Narrabundah aged day-care centres are being affected by what I can best describe as administrative bumph in the report. These elderly people are seeking social interaction. They are people with mobility problems, they are people with Alzheimer's. But instead-and this is a frightening comment-I discover something else.

Page 2 of the brief contains a statement which is headed "Proposed Re-Profile of ACTCC Aged Day Care Centres". Of course, what "re-profile"actually means is dispersal. We all like euphemisms-when we re-profile them we in fact disperse them; we break up social networks to satisfy government funding needs. And if you doubt me, have a look at some of these comments under the heading "Proposed re-profile":

Clients requiring social support only could be more appropriately cared for in non-government centres whilst clients requiring higher care, such as the men's dementia groups, could be cared for in ACTCC centres.

And further on:

Clients who are more independent and have lower care needs may be able to access available places at Northside Community Service and Southside Community Service ... The men's dementia groups at Narrabundah Health Centre could be relocated to Tuggeranong Health Centre which has a large space that is not well utilised. Additionally arrangements have been made with Canberra Services Club to

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