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Aged care crisis - a call for kindness and justice

By Tristan Ewins - posted Tuesday, 17 February 2009


In one especially appalling instance there were residents in one aged care home who weighed less than 25kg. It is not uncommon for staff to allow insufficient time for vulnerable residents to consume their meals. Without conscientious staff, including registered nurses in sufficient numbers, often nursing home residents are left to starve. It is an appalling breach of care.

Crowe holds that the accreditation process “lacks vigour” resulting in poor quality of care. Currently, nursing home management has the option of “nominating the assessor” who will conduct the accreditation review: a clear conflict of interest. Reviews need to be more thorough; without such conflicts. And more prolonged and thorough visits should be made without the generous preparation times currently allowed.

Again, according to Crowe, nursing home managements currently can enjoy a “warning period” of up to three months for the more rigorous accreditation checks. It is not surprising, therefore, that in most such cases full accreditation is achieved.

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Whether or not quality of care is sustained over the long term, however, is another question entirely.

Methods of finance

Crowe applauded the example of Denmark - whose social wage incorporates compensation schemes to ensure that the cost of care and disability are covered by the State. The principle is that the vulnerable should not be disadvantaged financially.

Denmark provides “rebates” for the disabled or frail - so that such people are not disadvantaged financially.

A further option, here, is for residents of nursing homes or hostels to receive a “targeted supplement”. This could assist pensioners and their carers so they can afford basic goods and services.

Those suffering from dementia and other debilitating conditions may no longer be in a position to hold the nursing home management accountable. Even in cases where families are passionately dedicated to fighting for the rights of relatives in care, maintaining accountability is a Herculean task.

Perhaps additional funding should be provided for a community and family advocacy group to ensure greater accountability. In Australia, there are several modes by which aged care fees are conducted. In our correspondence, Crowe related that there are a number of modes of payment.

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Often residents are expected to provide about “85 per cent of the full aged pension” to meet the costs of their care (about $33 a day). Those on higher incomes may be asked to pay up to $118 a day.

Finally, low care hostels can charge a bond - at any rate they like - with the exception that residents must be left with no less than $35,500 in assets.

Importantly, those better suited to “low care” should not be driven into “high care” nursing homes, simply because they cannot afford the “low care” option.

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About the Author

Tristan Ewins has a PhD and is a freelance writer, qualified teacher and social commentator based in Melbourne, Australia. He is also a long-time member of the Socialist Left of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He blogs at Left Focus, ALP Socialist Left Forum and the Movement for a Democratic Mixed Economy.
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