Frailty affects half of all Australians over the age of 65, making them vulnerable and at increased risk of poor health outcomes, and even death, in the event of illness or injury.  But research tells us the progression of frailty can be slowed and even reversed.  The key problem has been encouraging frail people to take part in interventions, and to keep those interventions going. To address this issue, Bolton Clarke Research Institute is adapting a successful program...

A new online form is available on the My Aged Care website that allows consumers or someone acting on their behalf to: register with My Aged Care apply for their first assessment online. The form can be completed in their own time as an alternative to calling the My Aged Care contact centre. Visit the My Aged Care website for information about how consumers can now apply for an assessment. This new functionality will be continuously improved. Please encourage consumers to provide feedback via the survey or Contact...

  One of the nation’s largest aged care providers has reported a loss of $40 million. However, after a property revaluation of nearly $24 million, the organisation’s “comprehensive loss” was reported as $16 million. During the 2018-19 financial year, UnitingCare received nearly $651 million in government grants and subsidies.  On top of that it received $515 million in patient and client revenue, and $213 million in services and fees. Executives were paid $4.7 million, a decline from the...

Illegal drug use is not something that most of us would associate with older people, but new research shows that a growing number of people over the age of 60 have recently taken illicit drugs. A new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has found that the number of people aged 60 and above who have recently used illicit drugs increased from 4.0% percent to 7.9 percent in a 15-year period. Alcohol and Drug Foundation...

An elderly couple in the US had their nursing home beds pushed together in the final moments of their lives allowing them to hold hands as they both passed away within hours of each other on the same day. Jack and Harriet Morrison were married for over 60 years and shared a relationship that could only be described as a fairytale. The couple first met in 1955 as a young Harriet accompanied her father on a bus trip with his...

When 31-year-old carer Jamie Lee Morley first heard aged care resident Margaret Mackie sing, he automatically assumed that the beautiful voice he heard was coming from a nearby radio. While it is certainly not uncommon for aged care staff and residents to develop strong bonds, nobody at the Northcare Suites Care Home in Glasgow, Scotland, could have imagined what would happen next. The pair were recently thrust into the public spotlight as heartwarming footage of the young carer and the...

Three years ago I walked into a memory support facility in Gerringong NSW. I had recently moved to the area with my partner from Tasmania and had graduated with a degree in dementia from the University of Tasmania the year before. So I was eager to specialise in an area I had become passionate about over the past three years.  From the moment I stepped into the door, I was greeted by smiling faces, from the manager to staff...

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29HiTmi-4mc[/embed] This year, International Nurses Day coincided with Mother's Day. Nicky Hondros, a palliative care nurse shared her and her mum's heartfelt story and provided a little glimpse into what it's like caring for someone living with dementia....

  Danish photographer, Sophie Mathiassen, has been awarded the 2019 Bob and Diane Fund award for her profoundly moving body of work that captures her grandparents’ journey through dementia.  ‘But greatest is love’ is the story of Ms Mathiassen’s grandparents, from the time her grandfather was diagnosed with dementia and Parkinson’s disease, to how his wife stepped up to be his carer, and how she coped with slowly losing her life partner until, eventually, he passed away.  The...

  With aged care assessments set to be put to tender in a few months, concerns have been escalating about potential conflicts of interest arising from assessors aligned with single organisations or modes of care. Voices in the industry have raised concerns with HelloCare that conflicts of interest may mean vulnerable older people miss out on the care they need. Older Australians put at risk One industry insider told HelloCare they were concerned assessors may be tempted to refer customers...

  The federal government has released a draft version of its Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission Roadmap and is calling for feedback from the public. The aim of the $185 million ‘Roadmap’ is to help the government prioritise funding for dementia and aged care research. The key aim of the ‘Mission’ is to support older Australians to maintain their health and quality of life as they age, to live independently for longer, and to access quality care when they...

While there is no doubt that the internet has enhanced our ability to access information and communicate with those we love, giving everyone the ability to speak to the masses is not a privilege without complications. The vast majority of Australians have personal social media accounts, and it is not uncommon to see posts from friends and family members who take the opportunity to vent their frustrations publicly. The last three years have seen a surge in the number of...