AGED care services in Wairarapa are in crisis because the Wairarapa District Health Board was not voted enough money for it to meet the cost of its health ministry contracts to care for the elderly, according to National's Wairarapa candidate John Hayes.
Mr Hayes said the board is running a $600,000
to $700,000 loss and individual rest homes like Arbor House in Greytown are losing thousands of dollars a month.
"Wharekaka Home in Martinborough is also struggling financially and the problem is not confined to South Wairarapa."
"In December I attended a meeting of 400 residents in Pahiatua who were concerned that the Waireka home was more than a million dollars in debt, because there was not enough funding."
Mr Hayes said the Presbyterian Church in Dannevirke was trying to "exit" the Rahiri home as it could not run it on a break-even basis.
"When non profit organisations like the Presbyterian Church and the Salvation Army have no option but to turn their backs on old-age care there can be no greater sign of an area in crisis," he said.
Mr Hayes said the health ministry had agreed to provide 10 extra beds in South Wairarapa a year ago.
"The district health board has not received funds to build the additional accommodation, and even if the beds were available the board has no money to look after 10 more patients."
"The sector is no longer on the brink of a crisis ? it is in one."
The situation has been made even worse because government has given salary increases of up to 40 per cent to nurses working in hospitals but these wage rises have yet to be paid to nurses working with the elderly.
"Staff at Waireka home are being asked to take pay cuts, as desperate measures are being taken to keep the community owned home open."
"It is crucial that government puts aside its ideological aversion to private providers and addresses the crisis in aged-care services," he said.
