In partnership with MS Australia, the Young People in Nursing Homes National Alliance and Parkinson’s Victoria, Huntington's Victoria was invited to make a submission to the State Parliamentary Inquiry into Supported Accommodation.

In November, Ruth Hertan, CEO of Huntington's Victoria, Alan Blackwood, Manager Policy and Community Partnerships, MS Australia and Bronwyn Morkham, National Director, Young People in Nursing Homes National Alliance made a presentation to this inquiry.

Two major points were made during this presentation:

1. That any accommodation solutions must address more issues than simply the bricks and mortar issues. People requiring supported accommodation need to be cared for by a skilled workforce and there needs to be enough funding to provide meaningful social and recreational activities. The models of care should also be flexible enough to accommodate people with specific conditions such as younger onset dementias,  people choosing to live in suburban or inner city locations, provide accommodation for families or couples and enable people with degenerative conditions to be cared for as their disease progresses.
2. That funding for this initiative can come from an insurance scheme similar to the TAC system in Victoria. A small levy of $20 per annum on all car registrations would fund a disability insurance scheme that could ensure lifetime care for people who develop a neurological condition.

These points were illustrated with a number of stories of the issues faced by people with Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease or MS.

The Committee were interested in the workings of the proposed insurance scheme and in the issues facing people with complex conditions such as Huntington’s Disease.

A written submission is now being developed to highlight these points and give a more detailed response to the inquiry. 

» More information about the Inquiry

The Committee is due to report in this Inquiry in mid 2009.