At least 80,000 more Australians today would be in health and
welfare institutions but for the 'deinstitutionalisation' policies
of the 1980s and 90s, according to the Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare.
The Institute's fifth biennial report on the nation's community
services, Australia's Welfare 2001, reveals that in the
fields of aged care, disability services, mental health and
out-of-home care services for children, community-based services
have grown as institutional services have reduced.
AIHW Director Dr Richard Madden said that the changes were 'part
of an increasing national focus on families as the mainstay of
support for people needing welfare services, and efforts on the
part of governments to help families to support themselves'.
'Home-based carers are the mainstay of deinstitutionalisation,
especially for younger people with a disability and frail or
disabled older people.
'The welfare sector is significant in the nation's economy, with
$13.7 billion being spent on paid services in 1999-00. But the
value of unpaid services provided by carers and helpers in
households was $27.2 billion.'
Dr Madden said that deinstitutionalisation was 'not just about
moving people out of institutions and into the community'.
'The shift in thinking has been applied to institutions
themselves through increased flexibility in how they operate, and
innovations such as half-way houses and group homes'.
Dr Madden also warned that care was needed in assessing the
quality and adequacy of expanded community-based services, as well
as quality of life in residential services in institutions, because
there are limitations on relevant information.
'One of the major reasons for the move to community-based care
was acknowledgement of the importance of individual rights and
needs, independence, and flexible services in providing truly
appropriate services.
'In this light, concepts such as healthy living, autonomy and
participation, and social cohesion are complex, and notoriously
difficult to measure. But, as our report makes clear, we're working
on it, together with many others.'
13 December 2001
Further information:
Co-editor, Australia's Welfare 2001: Dr Diane
Gibson,
02 6244 1190 (w); 0409 307 671 (mobile)
General media enquiries:
Nigel Harding, 02 6244 1025 (w); 0429 688 834 (mobile)
OR: Michelle Wells, 02 6244 1012 (w), 0407 012
520/0407 483 411 (mobile)
Media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
AIHW, 02 6244 1032, or check this website for media summary notes.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability.