Tiny Taralga receives an essential Government grant

With a population of roughly 400 people, Taralga is arguably just another small town in country New South Wales that you could blink and miss. But it’s a town that’s about to benefit from a big $530,000 Federal Government grant that will see the Taralga aged care home, owned by Uniting NSW.ACT, receive much-needed upgrades.

The grant is one of 76 infrastructure projects announced as part of the Government’s $135 million Aged Care Capital Assistance Program (Thin Markets, Multiple Streams Grant Opportunity).

This investment provides direct support for providers located outside of major cities, plus those that provide specialist homeless services in metro areas. 

For Uniting Taralga, it means they can upgrade their dining area and community spaces, including a new outdoor courtyard area with suitable furniture, paved paths and shading.

“It will enable us to upgrade Uniting Taralga’s 23-bed aged care home and introduce our contemporary Household Model, which is featured in most of our other aged care homes,” Uniting’s Head of Seniors Services, Saviour Buhagiar, said.

“The Household model will deliver significant improvements for our residents and also means the home will now align with the National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines.

“The new design will vastly improve shared spaces which are so important to service delivery and quality of life.”

In total, 297 applications sought over $1 billion of funding, well past the $135 made available. Funding was relatively evenly distributed across all States and Territories, except for the Australian Capital Territory where no allocations were made.

• More than $60 million went to 30 projects to support upgrades and expansions that will increase bed numbers and improve home care service delivery to better meet the needs of First Nations communities in remote and very remote locations
• $49 million supports 27 providers to address staff accommodation shortages to attract and retain more workers
• Specialised homelessness services received $22 million to improve access to aged care for older people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness
• $3 million will enable 11 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program providers to deliver more culturally appropriate care in First Nations communities

For Uniting NSW.ACT, who took over the Taralga home in July 2022, the funding means they can guarantee aged care services for the local community will continue.

“The closest alternative aged care homes are in Crookwell (40 minutes away) or Goulburn. This grant of $530,000 will enable us to modernize and safeguard our service so it’s available to the Taralga community for many years to come,” Mr Buhagiar said.

“While the announcement of this grant is fantastic news for the residents and the local community of Taralga, Uniting has also committed to covering any additional costs associated with the upgrades earmarked for the home.

“We’re determined to create a sustainable aged care home for the community for many years to come.”

South Australia’s Matthew Flinders Home (Port Lincoln) received almost $13 million and St Vincent de Paul Society NSW (Waterloo) just under $10 million to be the two largest individual grant recipients. Other providers to receive large investments across multiple projects include Uniting Church Homes (WA), the Tasmanian Department of Health and the Central Desert Regional Council (NT). 

A second round of grant opportunities opens in June to maintain or improve access to quality residential-based aged care services. More information on provider eligibility is available on the Department of Health and Aged Care’s website.