Aged Care is very topical and ought to be discussed more. It affects so many of us whether working in it, witnessing the ageing population or having parents that are very much older. I work in the industry as an RN in a residential setting. Or should I state I work for profitting 'business!'

The money and budgetting is the worst part of the aged care world. There are short cuts all over.

The meals are less than fantastic. In the past I have been an agency RN moving around different facilities; I see little variation in what is served up. Recently I saw pale cabbage, mashed potato, cauli and pale coloured Silver side plated. Did that look appealing...not. Cheap to buy and serve plus plus. Never would you see a chop!

Anyway, it is staffing that will always be the biggest issue in residential care of our Aged. Where I work, 79% of the budget is wages. Interesting, and in many high care wings it takes up to lunchtime to get the fully dependent residents out of bed. Some might like it, but many would sooner be up earlier and out of their wet incontinence products. The more 'vocal' residents dictate who'll be up first.

I am frustrated. You see, I had coffee with a few caregivers I knew at my former facility (worked there 6 1/2 years). The caregivers are giving out the medication, have no registered staff after 4.30pm and if they ring an oncall RN for help, that help isn't timely in response. It is frightening. There are life and death decisions to occasionally make. Should caregivers be put in this situation. I say an emphatic no. I wonder how much of this is going on?

But there, it is all about money. This same facility will not use agency staff but instead I have heard of TRIPLE shifting occurring! How dangerous can that be. Sigh. read on .....

....Myself, I love the older people in 'my charge', and supporting those workers on the floor. I do my best to be timely in response, but many a time I feel less than adequate to get even the most simple of requests seen to quickly.

I take pleasure, though, knowing that each and every shift I do, I care to the best of my ability. Knowing too I have definitely made some older people's lives a little brighter in some small way that day. They don't have to, but they'll tell me so. How marvellous that is; the best feeling in the world for this genuine carer and server of our elderly.

I am keen to hear from other Aged Care workers. There will be a campaign in October with QNU also. Lastly, do we deserve pay parity. I say yes.

Cakers

bless you for starting this thread.

In years gone by I put a great deal of time into tracking funds and passing it on to the Howard Government over aged care.

Its a topic close to my heart as well as aboriginal people.

After many years of nagging I received a phone call from the then Federal Ministers advisor.

Because it was two days after my own father passed away and I didnt attend suggested meetings.

Here is what we raised and I am happy to be able to suggest this to you because your in the right place and the right person.

We can provide a far better in home service to our elderly and disabiled 'right now' on the 'same funds' .

We can allow more people to stay in their own homes cutting out the need for many homes. (Probably upsetting some developers with their cushy government deals and subs and possibly some church Groups) - (too bad.)
The fact is State Governments are wasting the tax payers funds that are meant for in home care.

The federal Government and states combined give around $72.73 per week for in home services per person.

These are the old figures and I think the Howard Government raised it but (god knows what Rudds done.)

Anyway lets work on $80.00 shall we. The client is required to put in another $50.00 or there abouts to get the service.

If we allocated that money "direct" to a private provider of the clients choice you can get stretch that.

If we give a little more (taking it from the huge expense to tax paying supporting nursing homes )we have plenty to provide four hours a 'day' in home care= Or two part time jobs for two live in or live out carers who will of course pay tax.


Keeping people out of homes that would be the best result as nobody wants to leave their home just because they are elderly.
Its cruel.

Dear Cakers,

Thanks from me as well for starting this thread.

My step-father is in a high-care nursing home.

It's a very expensive,
privately-run one here in Melbourne.

However the care he receives leaves a lot to be
desired. They use agency staff. Pop is heavily
dependent and he can ring the call button till he's
blue in the face - no one comes. He is partially
paralysed - so needs help to go to the toilet.
When in sheer frustration, he's tried to go by himself,
he's had several bad falls and has ended up in emergency,
in the local hospital. Mum visits him every day,
and often finds full piss-bottles still by his bed
when she arrives in the afternoon. Many times he's
also been not fully dressed or washed et cetera.

And there's more, but I won't go into all the
details here. We've written letters of complaint,
sent faxes to the Director of Nursing, but
nothing changes.

I can't help but wonder, how do they assess a place
for accreditation - and are there standards these
places have to adhere to? Standards of care, that is?

And who can you report them to if they're found
lacking?

I am speaking as a Registered Nurse who has specialist aged care qualifications and experience in the aged care residential setting sector. I am also one of those nurses who has left the profession of caring for our elderly due to burnout.

I have nothing but praise, admiration and respect for the care-workers in aged care- I truly believe that their hearts are in the right place and they are the true heroes of aged care.

Unfortunately the reality of aged care is that it does not matter how much money you throw at it there is always the need for more money. I believe the answer lies with having well educated and experienced leaders in the management positions. Innovation and a bit of entrepreneurship at that level of management is needed to move the industry forward. A proactive approach rather than a reactive ethos is essential.

(Con't)

(Con't)

Foxy- you have raised a really great question. Residents and the loved ones of the residents are often relucant to complain. There is often a percieved power differenctial in the relationship between resident and facility. People will often not complain because they are afraid that there will repurcussions and the care of the resident will be affected. Well if that happens you will certainly know your loved one is not in an ethical and professional facility. If you wish to make a complaint you can contact the Aged Care Complaints Investigation Scheme- details on their website below.
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/ageing-complaints-index.htm#HowDept

You can also engage the assistance of the Aged Care Advocacy Services for help as well. Put your concerns in writing to the Director of Nursing and make it known you will not hesitate to contact the Dept of Health & Ageing if your concern is not attended to.

Accreditation of aged care facilities has been a great initiative of the government. Accreditation essentially puts all aged care facilities on a level playing field. There are standards that MUST be met in order for the facility to continue providing the service. The accreditation system may have some inherent flaws however it does keep the industry on its toes.

Cakers- yes aged care nurses should be paid what they are worth and wage parity is essential. Aged care is a specialty area within nursing and should be recognized as such

Cakers,
Thanks for the thread.

My mum stayed in the family home for as long as possible, until dementia forced us to move her to a nursing home. Her worsening condition, she used to wander off, meant she was then moved to a secure unit attached to a hospital in our large country town.

Each had their own bedroom and the large common room had the dining tables, many lounges and TV. There was a small yard where parients could go and sit.

I visited mainly in the afternoon and most of the staff were siting, talking in their enclave which had a counter and opening to the common room. I suppose most of their work was in the mornings and evenings and my visits coincided with the quieter time.

Really the only thing for patients had to look forward to was the meals, which were OK.

I found myself putting off my visits because I found the place most depressing. It just seemed like each patient was simply waiting to die. When leaving I had to ask staff to let me out. I might add that sometimes mum would know me and sometimes not. Dad had died many years earlier and sometimes mum would talk as though he was still alive and ask why he did not visit. As I said quite depressing.

I don't know what the best is for aged care, but I hope not to end up in a similar place.

Dear Tammy Jo,

Thanks so much for the website and the other
referrals for complaints.

I'll now know what to do in the future.

Thanks also for showing us that there are RN's
out there that really do care for their patients.
And love their jobs.

The Aged Care industry doesn't have a good
reputation on the whole. It's time that there
was a major shake-up. Our population is aging,
and if you can't have quality care when you're the
most vulnerable (and paying a high price for it),
then something is very wrong with our society.

It's time the Government stepped in.

I very much appreciate the responses to this thread I started. What a hugely important issue. We have an ageing population.

There is a LOT of frustration and helplessness from both floor workers in Aged Care and with the residents and their relatives. In cases it most certainly is the case of the squeakiest wheel getting fixed. And the terrible result is often that such people are labelled as complainers; the 'complaints' are usually not big things but can merely to do with an issue such as toiletting on time so incontinence doesn't result!

44 Accreditation Standards have to evidenced by every aged care facility, with renewal every three years, helps. However, I feel it would be a lot more accurate with little warning beforehand. It is amazing how well a place scrubs up on the surface for Accreditation only to relapse back to old ways.

Foxy: unfortunately I have seen the scenarios your step father has time and time again. The more dependent a person is too, the more they have to wait.

I recently visited someone literally dieing in the hospital (a private one), and I was the one doing the nursing for those few hours. The poor woman had only hours left and was dry as a bone. I fed her all the water she desired! We ought to care more for our elderly.

I keep the Aged Care Advocacy form on hand in case I am approached as an RN.
I agree with TammyJo who mentions basically having quality in management. Indeed, it is often the management that lets these places down. IF ONLY the care staff were more looked after, not only would they avoid burnout but would feel listened, take less 'sickies' and stay in the job longer. I clap loudly for our dedicated care workers , too.

Cakers, your point: "Indeed, it is often the management that lets these places down. IF ONLY the care staff were more looked after, not only would they avoid burnout but would feel listened, take less 'sickies' and stay in the job longer."

I have worked in the aged care industry (private). Your point is absolutely spot on. Plus the management is paid way more than the care workers, even a receptionist receives higher pay. The only member of the caring staff who does receive something approaching reasonable renumeration is the D.O.N.

Part of the problem is the idea that profit can be made from caring for the elderly and infirm - a complete conflict of interest. I would never go back to work in such a place until staff are paid in line with their responsibilities and treated with the respect that any workers in the medical industry deserve.

Why shouild we depend so heavily on public funding to care for the sick and aged?
Why cant Australians each "adopt" an old person or one debilated or handicapped and look in on them and also give of themselves as much as possible and let them feel wanted and cared for?
My wife and I have been retired some fifteen years and we are involved in so many things that 24 hrs arent enough for us to get where we would like to and do what we want but we both manage to squeeze in time enough to drop in on "home-in" and barracaded old ladies and gents and have tea with them. We visit some in hospital.There's still plenty of time for ourselves to do what we want.We dont get a zac for what we do and we dont want a zac either.The happiness in the eyes of those we meet and chat to pays us all we need.it is so rewarding.
Isnt it a very Aussie thing to do,to be there for the underdog and help a mate in need?
Come on Aussies,come on, come on.
socratease

Socratease....
We need more Aussies just like you. The volunteers out there are often the unsung heroes. You do this with a great heart.

I work as a dedicated RN in Aged Care and for me, it is the most rewarding of any nursing positions. I will continue, too, to put smiles on faces long after my employed days are over.

I relate to your 'happiness in the eyes' statement, Socratease. How true that is about that being the only reward that matters.

Many of us however do have that 'adopted' older person in the form of a relative or parent. My father lives in Taz; I am in Qld. I will have him live with me before I would have him go to a resthome; that is how important it is to me that my father has 1:1 care. He isn't getting any stronger nowadays either. You see, with time constraints on staff in the residential facilities, it is a dad fact that resident needs cannot always be met in a timely manner. Staffing ratios are sad.

Let us keep singing the praise of older folks like yourselves who continue to visit our older citizens, while continuing to praise the caregivers working on the coal face in Aged Care. They deserve many accolaides.

Aussies, come on....be a mate to someone in need TODAY.

By the number of comments here , you could say no we don't care enough.

http://bettsgarden.com/CruiseShipHome.html




About 2 years ago my wife and I were on a cruise through the
western Mediterranean aboard a Princess liner.
At dinner we noticed an elderly lady sitting alone
along the rail of the grand stairway in the main dining room.
I also noticed that all the staff, ships officers, waiters, busboys, etc.,
all seemed very familiar with this lady.

I asked our waiter who the lady was, expecting to be told that
she owned the line, but he said he only knew that
she had been on board for the last four cruises, back to back.

As we left the dining room one evening I caught her eye and stopped to say hello.
We chatted and I said,
"I understand you've been on this ship for the last four cruises".
She replied, "Yes, that's true."
I stated, "I don't understand" and she replied, without a pause,
"It's cheaper than a nursing home".

So, there will be no nursing home in my future.
When I get old and feeble, I am going to get on a Princess Cruise Ship.
The average cost for a nursing home is $200 per day.
I have checked on reservations at Princess and I can get a long term
discount and senior discount price of $135 per day.
That leaves $65 a day for:

1. Gratuities which will only be $10 per day.

2. I will have as many as 10 meals a day if I can waddle
to the restaurant, or I can have room service
(which means I can have breakfast in bed every day of the week).

3. Princess has as many as three swimming pools, a workout room,
free washers and dryers, and shows every night.

4. They have free toothpaste and razors, and free soap and shampoo.

5. They will even treat you like a customer, not a patient.
An extra $5 worth of tips will have the entire staff scrambling to help you.
To be contiuned-

Continued
6. I will get to meet new people every 7 or 14 days.
7. T.V. broken? Light bulb need changing?
Need to have the mattress replaced?
No Problem! They will fix everything and apologize
for your inconvenience.

8. Clean sheets and towels every day, and
you don't even have to ask for them.
9. If you fall in the nursing home and break a hip you are on Medicare;
if you fall and break a hip on the Princess ship they will upgrade you
to a suite for the rest of your life.


Now hold on for the best!
Do you want to see South America, the Panama Canal, Tahiti, Australia,
New Zealand, Asia, or name where you want to go?
Princess will have a ship ready to go.
So don't look for me in a nursing home, just call shore to ship.

PS. And don't forget, when you die, they just dump you over the side
at no charge.



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