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Living in a rural area?
If you’re an older person living in rural Australia, you’ll be pleased to know that the government’s Rural Health Services have been introduced to increase access to health and aged care services and provide:
- 40% more aged care places in rural and remote areas so that older Australians can access the care they need
- grants to aged care homes in remote areas seeking to expand or upgrade their buildings
- Viability supplement is available to eligible residential aged care services in rural and remote areas, to assist with the extra cost of delivering services in those areas
- more aged care nurses and training for personal care workers in rural areas to address the current under-supply
- the Multipurpose Services Program that brings local health and aged care services under one management structure, making it easier for small communities to fund a range of independent aged care services, from acute hospital and palliative care to community nursing, meals on wheels, podiatry and more
- the More Allied Health Services (MAHS) Program, which aims to improve the health of people living in rural areas by increasing access to allied health services such as podiatry, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, mental health services, injury prevention and more
- The Regional Health Services Program – providing local solutions for local health problems including community nursing, occupational therapy women’s health and injury prevention
- Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres that provide information for older Australians in rural areas to help them access the services they need
- more pharmacies to help as a first point of contact
- the Rural Private Access program – a grant that aims to increase the range, availability and viability of health services covered by private insurance
- funding for the Rural Women’s GP Service to help rural women who currently have little or no access to a female doctor
- grants to prevent injuries, including alcohol injuries, smoking and obesity problems in rural and indigenous communities, and
- the Rural Chronic Disease Initiative to develop chronic disease prevention projects through programs for weight loss, improved fitness and mobility, reduced or improved medication use, early testings and more.
Alternatively, you can write to:
Rural Health Program Manager
Department of Health and Ageing
GPO Box 9848
in your capital city
Common questions on this topic:
- Mum lives in a rural area. How can I get a podiatrist for her?
- My elderly mother has come to live with me on my farm. She needs help with showering, dressing and other personal care. I am away from the house most of the day - can we get help with these things even though we are a few hours drive from the nearest town?
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