Elderly people and care staff affected by the Queensland flood can rely on support provided by the Labor Government .

Minister Mark Butler said in a statement that the Department of Health and Ageing is liaising with residential and community aged care services and relevant state authorities in flood- affected areas to ensure that residents and staff are safe, and that services and supplies continue.

“The safety and wellbeing of aged care recipients is obviously a high priority which is why they have been relocated to their families, local hospitals or to locations as deemed suitable by the State Emergency Service,” Butler said.

“Aged care staff are doing a wonderful job continuing to provide ongoing care for relocated aged care recipients, and the Department of Health and Ageing is working with the providers to ensure residents are safe and have sufficient food, aid and medications. "

“Yesterday we activated the Department of Health and Ageing National Incident Room to ensure we can provide support to state health authorities affected by flooding,” Butler said. “Older Australians can be particularly vulnerable during natural disaster and it’s vital that we continue to support them, the dedicated staff who attend to them, and of course all Australians affected by these devastating floods."

“We will continue to monitor this rapidly changing situation in flood-affected areas, and are working with aged care providers in Queensland and New South Wales to ensure recipients are safe”.