Disability advocates have launched a fundraising campaign to help pull 7,500 young Australians with high care needs out of aged care homes across the country.
Youngcare’s You Hold the Key campaign was rolled out in Federation Square on Monday, urging Melburnians to buy a five dollar virtual key to generate funds for supported accommodation designed to better cater for young people with 24/7 care needs.
Currently, full-time care facilities for young people are chronically limited across the country. While the updated NDIS funding scheme will help to provide greater access to healthcare for people with high care needs, Youngcare spokesperson Chelsea Toomey said that they want the Government to invest more in the infrastructure of youth-based supported accommodation as well.
“What we are trying to do is speak to the Government and the broader sector about the lack of supported accommodation. It’s all well and good to have enough money for your care but [young Australians] won’t be able to leave aged care if the Government doesn’t build more housing”, she said.
Ms Elysa Watson is a youth disability carer and she said that Governments need to strive to provide more freedom to people who are already restricted by their care needs.
“People with disabilities face a range of hardships and they have so many restrictions placed on them already. We need to ensure they can live a [young] life just like we can,” she said.
If you would like to donate to Youthcare Australia, head to their website to buy a virtual key for five dollars that will help unlock a better future for young Aussie’s with high care needs.