Source: ABC Online [Letters to the Editor]

There are 6,000 young disabled Australians who are in nursing home places while there are 4,000 elderly people in hospital beds because of a shortage of nursing homes places. The numbers speak for themselves.

Clearly these numbers indicate where the spectacular failure in public policy lies. For decades governments have ignored the need for supported accommodation or accommodation support for people with disabilities who are rendered helpless by their disability.

In providing timely, appropriate and well-provisioned supported accommodation and in-home supports the lack of nursing home beds would disappear as would the problem of general hospital beds - at least to the tune of 4,000, anyway.

That the Rudd Government has taken on this issue is laudable and not before time. Now that's been fixed I hope the Rudd Government turns to meet the crying unmet need for accommodation of son and daughters whose parents are elderly and in their late 60s, 70s and 80s, who want the peace of mind of knowing their sons and daughters will be properly cared for before the parents become too infirm, frail or die.

Mary Lou Carter - Drummoyne, NSW