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The Forum > Article Comments > Not enough beds > Comments

Not enough beds : Comments

By Peter Baume, published 11/2/2020

There are more old people requiring residential care than there are beds available. So the power rests with the providers of care.

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Death is preferable to misery in an Australian nursing home.
Posted by ttbn, Tuesday, 11 February 2020 9:58:42 AM
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Voluntary euthanasia is the only answer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euthanasia_in_Australia

As the percentage of old people (in pain and living longer) that need to be cared for

further exceeds the numbers of nursing home carers and hospital staff.
Posted by plantagenet, Tuesday, 11 February 2020 11:58:48 AM
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Prof Peter,

It is my view that it would be inhumane and lack compassion to kill the aged off through euthanasia.

Even though the costs are high, any country with an ounce of mercy will attempt to meet the aged care need through more homes with lower and upper care facilities.

Yes, it's costly but being a humanitarian always is.

I'm reminded of what Jesus said about the last judgment when the sheep will be separated from the goats. The sheep (Christians) will be rewarded because they fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, provided hospitality to those needing it, clothing people who required it. They cared for the sick and visited those in prison. The response of the godly was:

'Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food? When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you with no place to stay and welcome you into our home? When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and care for you?’

“Then the king will answer, ‘The truth is, anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me’" (Matthew 25:34-40), http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt+25%3A34-40&version=ERV

Both believers in Christ and unbelievers will be judged by how they ministered to people.

My call is for churches across the country to rise up and address this crisis. Ministering to the elderly is ministering for Jesus - he said.

You were spot on Peter:

<<So there are not enough places now; some of them are of poor quality, some were not even built for residential care, and there will be many more needing places in the future as the population ages and dementia increases. We are in deep trouble.>>
Posted by OzSpen, Tuesday, 11 February 2020 12:49:19 PM
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Yet some are going broke for lack of clientele! The problem is the way we subsidise this industry. Repeat INDUSTRY!

We subsidise for-profit care as not for profit care withers on the vine.

And In-home care that which most want costs the taxpayer half that of residential care. It seems what we want isn't our government's goal just the big buck for their callous cronies?

This tells us even as the royal commission uncovers care hardly better than wigan gulags?

Our answer seems to be to talk a good age care program As we prop up million-dollar care that then makes aged care for-profit one of the most profitable investments!

. Where the object of the horrendously callous exercise is to bleed the clientele white! And we pour annual billions into this industry, even as the not for profit sector goes broke! Remember how hard it was and how long it took to get a royal commission and just how hard it has been to get CCTV into these homes.

Why? because CCTV would have exposed these terrible abuses you and I wouldn't visit on a mongrel cur!

Moreover, in-home care costs less than half and is harder to access than for-profit care. To date, a reported 16,000 have died waiting for their approved package

Am I the only one here wondering what does our government prioritise, the quality care we pay for or just big business big bucks.

Well, that's where their mates are and explain plenty!?
Alan B
Posted by Alan B., Tuesday, 11 February 2020 1:15:55 PM
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Are there more old people needing a home because more young people are not giving a damn about their parents ?
Posted by individual, Tuesday, 11 February 2020 2:34:29 PM
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This is truly one of all western countries. The care homes used to be run by churches, charities and government funded grants to take care of those too ill or frail to look after themselves. As a child who grew up in the 60's, grand parents were looked after by their children, usually until the went to hospital, and usually died there. Those who had no family were looked after by the community they lived in, until they were unfit and went to care homes, with frequent visits from family.

Now its big business who run the show. Charities and churches play a much smaller role in society and government have sold off the " rights to this product" to international conglomerates that run like any business, purely on profit. That is not to criticise the staff who for the fast majority are caring individuals. BUT, when retirees have multi-million house assets, then its prime pickings for 'entrepreneurs" to extract as much as they can, like all true vampires.

This is not a free market (just like health insurance). Its a cartel that we as society have created. It needs taxpayer money to fix, the private sector can offer services, but the government must control and regulate the care of our elderly. That's what we pay taxes for.

I am all for free markets, but there are certain things we as a humane society need to take responsibility. We do that for education, health and major infrastructure. Its time we realised that old age care, just like disability, is our societal responsibility. Sure its someone has money, means test them. Let the private sector provide services to the care system... BUT we should be ashamed of ourselves for letting international business consortiums run this business for themselves, and treat our discarded elderly as "units" to be processed at minimal transactional costs.
Posted by Alison Jane, Tuesday, 11 February 2020 4:13:27 PM
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