The move by the Hawke's Bay District Health Board to pump more money into medical care for the elderly in the region must be applauded.
The district health board voted last week to implement a Community Services Proposal for the frail elderly, costing $2.7 million for the next two years.The board will roll out successful trials focused on care through general practices.
The Taradale Medical and Greendale Family Health centres have trialled the programme during the past two years, which has co-ordinated care for frail elderly using general-practice health teams.
This is a very wise use of the district health board's budget and it is important that money is being spent to ensure our elderly have the care they need and deserve. One just has to look at population projections for Hawke's Bay to see it is vital that medical care for the elderly is first rate.
While Hawke's Bay's population is expected to grow by a mere 3.9 per cent in the next 10 years, the number of people older than 65 is expected to grow by 47 per cent. Add to this the fact that the number of people over 85 will increase by 45.5 per cent in the same period and we face a potentially huge medical bill.
A report by Integrated Care Services general manager Kieran McCann said most people over 85 lived well and longer if supported in their own homes.
We all want our elderly to live happy, active and healthy lives but we also need to ensure that those older people who need special medical care have access to it.
Decisions like the one taken by the district health board ensure that will happen.
