Apr 19, 2018

Elderly Suffer Then We Report

These views are a reflection of the contributor and we believe it is important to give everyone a platform to share their opinion. 

I write in response to Federal Minister for Ageing Ken Wyatt’s media release titled Powerful New Reforms to Ensure Safe, Quality Aged Care (18 April 2018).

The release outlines Turnbull Government plans to increase aged care inspections and reporting of adverse incidents in Australian aged care facilities.

While this is a step in the right direction, there is still much that needs to be done to make aged care safe for older Australians. The fundamental problem with aged care is understaffing, and until this is fixed any changes by the Turnbull Government will only be responding to the symptoms, not the cause.

Australia’s 260,000-plus nurses and midwives have dedicated themselves to campaigning for Federal change on aged care. Until understaffing is addressed, changes announced today will only add additional stress and workloads to an already struggling aged care workforce.

Aged care nurses distressed and angered by elder neglect as a result of chronic understaffing will continue to tell the public what goes on behind closed doors. Like the fact there are no Federal laws that determine how Australia’s 2400-plus aged care facilities are staffed.

Or that there are no Federal laws that require even a single Registered Nurse be on site at an aged care facility at any time. Or that it’s not uncommon for a single nurse to be left with up to 200 residents at once.

Aged care nurses know elderly Queenslanders and Australians are suffering unnecessary pain, suffering and premature death due to chronic understaffing in almost every Australian town and city. It happens near daily, in nice looking facilities, while under resourced and distressed staff do their best to provide care.

Australian nurses believe aged care providers – who recently received $16 billion in taxpayer funds and reported profits of more than $1 billion – should be forced to safely staff their businesses. Like schools, or hospitals, or child care facilities.

They believe the Federal Government should focus on introducing law changing legislation around staffing – rather than increased reporting of the pain and suffering occurring in each and every Australian electorate.

Queensland and Australian nurses will not rest until the Federal Government makes safe staff levels law in Australian aged care.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. 100% agree. Keep up the drive for change and recognition across the industry… thank you.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

The number of elderly diagnosed with cancer set to surge 80%

There will be a steep rise in the number of people diagnosed with cancer every year due to the ageing the population, according to new research. By 2035, up to 80 per cent more people could be diagnosed with cancer every year, according to new research from the UK. The huge increase is largely attributed to... Read More

Pain Management and Aromatherapy

Many older people find themselves living with pain. However, it should be noted that pain is not an inherent part of ageing. The reason pain is more prevalent is because of the increasing in age-related disorders – such as dementia, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis to name a few. For instance, when a person has dementia,... Read More

Elder Orphans: Who Are They?

Ageing is a part of life – and most people imagine that they would be surrounded by those they love as they get older. But some people – particularly those without partners and children – are faced with the reality of ageing alone. These people are elder orphans. Some are elder orphans by choice, having... Read More
Advertisement