Home care services such as domestic assistance, respite care and personal care will no longer be provided by Brimbank council from 2020.
More than 900 people currently receive home care services from the council, with about 75 staff providing these services.
The council said the move away from delivering the services was in response to changes initiated by the federal government.
The council’s acting director community wellbeing, John MacDonagh, said changes to the way the Commonwealth Home Support Programme was funded and delivered meant other service providers could compete with councils to deliver home support services.
It is unclear how many council jobs will go as a result of the changes.
The council, however, said not all services will go, with some aged and disability services, including delivered meals, community transport and social support programs to continue beyond the 2020 deadline.
Brimbank resident David Simpson, who’s wife has used Brimbank council services for 20 years, said they were still required.
“We’re talking about the most vulnerable people in our society,” he said.
“These council workers get to know them and develop relationships with patients – that’s a vitally important part of these services which will now be gone.
“A lot of residents under 65 who need home help with things like showering, being put on the toilet, dressing, house cleaning, minor home repairs and gardening will be hard hit by this.”
Mr Simpson believes the way in which the services will be provided after June, 2020, will create problems.
“We’ve got the NDIS in place for people under 65 and those older than 65, we have aged welfare services,” he said.
“But we’ve already seen problems with the NDIS – it’s proving to be a challenge and it’s completely different to the aged welfare services.”
“There is going to be definite gap between the two services and someone will need to pick up the slack. That is why the council should not get out of one of its core services.”
