Dementia carers warn of growing crisis

A shortage of beds means elderly dementia patients are being sent from Northland to Auckland so their full-time caregivers can have time out.

The situation is nearly at crisis point, say people working in the elderly care sector.

Northland rest homes with certified dementia units field an average of five requests a month from caregivers needing respite care beds. Most of those requests cannot be met. There are about nine requests a month for permanent registered care.

The chief executive of one of New Zealand's biggest elderly residential care businesses, Selwyn Village Foundation, warned the situation was likely to get worse.

The private sector would increasingly steer clear of dementia care because of high costs and low profits, said Duncan McDonald, boss of the Auckland-based foundation which owns Whangarei's Selwyn Park Village.

Kim Tito, Northland District Health Board general manager of service development, confirmed there was limited respite care available in Northland. The lack of beds was of growing concern and the board was working with providers to build additional capacity, Mr Tito said.

Alzheimer Society Northland general manager Ros Martin said the organisation provided support other than residential care to families and was able to offer limited daycare.

Mr McDonald said while Northland had higher needs than most districts, the bed shortage was becoming an issue across New Zealand.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE