00:00When it comes to aged care respite facilities in Canberra,
00:05Barangiri isn't the most modern or fit for purpose.
00:09Obviously the building is old, yes it would be nice if they had,
00:13I understand the rooms could be a bit bigger and it would be great if they had their own bathrooms.
00:17My mother was always quite particular about that, but she managed perfectly well.
00:21Tanya Latyszynski says her family would have tried but struggled
00:25to provide the three weeks of 24 hour a day nursing support her mum recently needed.
00:30She came out of hospital and wasn't well enough to yet go home
00:34and needed some interim care and they were fabulous.
00:38From June, that interim care won't be available at Barangiri.
00:42The ACT government is funding something that is absolutely in the Commonwealth space
00:48and once we step into that space we get no Commonwealth funding at all.
00:52Minister Stephen Smith says the building is ACT owned,
00:56but needs a major renovation which would require closing it and suspending services.
01:01But because the model doesn't make financial sense and amid budget challenges,
01:06the government will instead explore its options.
01:09It does have a promising future as a residential facility in the ACT.
01:14Carers ACT warns that decision will worsen an already bad problem.
01:19With availability of local residential respite beds down 40% in the past two years.
01:26Every day we get calls from people requiring respite and wanting to book an aged care respite bed.
01:32Every day we have to tell them it's not available.
01:35Every day we have to tell them on the dates they want it's not available.
01:38Every day we have to say I'm sorry we can't help you with that.
01:42The Health Minister acknowledges access can be difficult and challenging, but...
01:47Where we are operating in a space that is clearly a Commonwealth responsibility
01:51and where we get no Commonwealth funding at all to deliver that service,
01:56there's going to have to be some tough decisions to be made.
01:58Good morning, I'm just enquiring about some respite care in Canberra please.
02:02That's little consolation for Tanya Latyshinski.
02:05This was the only place that was an option and thankfully they had a space at the time.
02:10A spokesperson says the Federal Government and National Aged Care Services Regulator
02:15will work with the provider to ensure continuity of care.
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