The crisis in aged care has escalated to a national “pandemic,” drawing parallels to the issues of violence against women and girls, as well as drug abuse. This concern was emphasized by Mohammed Khan, chairman of the Pearce Home trust, during the recent quarterly Institutional Forum Meeting (IFM) for Aged Care Homes.
Khan noted that representatives from aged care service providers were strongly urging the government for increased financial support. He mentioned that two facilities, The Home of Compassion in Tamavua and the Father Law Home in Lami, are facing severe financial difficulties and are on the brink of closure. Additionally, the Golden Age Home in Lautoka is contending with serious termite problems, and there hasn’t been a solution for relocating its residents.
During the forum, there was a call for more vigorous advocacy to the Ministry of Finance for a larger allocation of funds for aged care. Simultaneously, service providers were encouraged to improve their financial management and provide a more detailed budget outlining their needs to the ministry.
Khan pointed out that while there have been governmental appeals for civil society organizations and faith-based groups to assist with issues like drug prevention, violence against women, and elderly care, there has been scant allocation of grants from the Ministry of Finance for these initiatives.
Mue Fisher, a board member of Father Law Home, indicated that they had reached out to the public for urgent financial assistance due to cash flow challenges. She elaborated that the rising cost of living in Fiji has also increased their operational costs, including wages for essential staff and the need for urgent structural repairs.
Lynda Tabuya, Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, noted that in the last financial year, the ministry provided Father Law Home with a grant of $30,000. She mentioned that for the current year, a partial application for additional funding had been submitted by the home, but they were waiting for the submission of an audit report to ensure transparency before providing another $30,000.
Tabuya acknowledged the critical need for adequate care and support for the elderly population and praised the efforts of agencies providing care to senior residents. She advised that Father Law Home could also seek support from other donor agencies and the private sector to help cover operating costs.
Questions regarding the matter have been forwarded to Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad, who is attending the 2024 International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Bank Annual Meeting in the US. Prasad stated he would address the issue upon his return.
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