Minister for Aged Care and Sport, Anika Wells, has announced a $135 million Aged Care Capital Assistance Program (ACCAP) to help First Nations and aged care providers in rural and remote communities modernise their facilities, including expanding aged care homes, building staff accommodation, and improving home care service delivery.
This investment is on top of the $115 million dedicated to building four National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care services in South Australia, the Northern Territory, and Queensland.
Round 1 of the ACCAP includes:
- 76 infrastructure projects to upgrade aged care homes, build new staff accommodation, improve services for older people at risk of homelessness, and enhance cultural care for older First Nations people.
- More than $60 million across 30 locations to support aged care providers upgrade and expand their aged care homes, increase the number of beds, and improve home care service delivery to better meet the needs of First Nations communities in remote and very remote locations.
- $49 million to support 27 providers address shortages in staff accommodation.
- $22 million to support eight specialised services improve access to aged care for older people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
- $3 million to enable 11 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program providers deliver more culturally appropriate care in First Nations communities.
A second round of ACCAP grants will open in the first half of 2024, with a broader range of eligibility that will include all regional, rural and remote locations and will have a continued focus on improving access to quality aged care services for First Nations communities.
