Public meeting about elder care

Labour and Greens MPS will push for improvements to aged care in New Zealand at a meeting in Levin.

Friday’s meeting, hosted by Horowhenua Grey Power, will push for better in-home care for elderly people as well as improved care in rest homes.

Horowhenua Grey Power publicity officer Terry Hemmingsen said the organisation wants healthcare providers to offer more adequate personal care and home support.

There needed to be more of a push to improve care given to people living in their own homes, he said.

‘‘Surely it must be cheaper than aged care facilities. That’s not rocket science.’’

In 2010, the Labour Party and the Greens held an aged care review and from this it was apparent that the care of elderly people was in crisis, Hemmingsen said.

Elderly people are still not getting anywhere near the high standard of care they need, he said.

Hemmingsen hoped the parties could apply pressure to the Government to make a change.

Labour deputy leader Annette King and Greens co-leader Metiria Turei will be attending the event at the Levin Cosmopolitan Club.

Labour senior press secretary Chris Harrington said the party hoped to hear from people using aged care services about whether the reforms raised in the 2010 report have been acted upon.

‘‘We made 14 key recommendations to improve the quality of aged care services, which included a star rating system of aged care facilities and stopping telephone assessments for home support services. We wanted face-to-face meetings,’’ he said.

The meeting will be held on Friday at 1.30pm at the Cosmopolitan Club on Oxford St.