I spend my days sifting through Aged Care correspondence, in all that time I come across stories that are both uplifting and some that are incredibly sad.

Some see this as in indictment of our times, others label it an indicator of the inadequacies of our health system, but for myself it is an undeniable wake up call for individuals to thoroughly research the aged care facilities that may soon be the permanent residence of loved ones.

For me, braying for the Government to fix a problem is like trying to put a bandaid on a severed limb; the intention is good, however the problem can’t be fixed with spot repairs. It doesn’t help that in places along the funding chain, money simply disappears before it gets to those who need it most.

People shouldn’t be afraid to ask the tough questions of community aged care providers. Respite and high level nursing home facilities should have nothing to hide in regards to the quality of their services, those that don’t should be avoided.

In the mind of the public the damage has already been done. The media spin has cast a shadow over not only lowly establishments, but those that provide excellent care for residents.

I can’t help but feel that whenever the words “Nursing Home” are mentioned, images of the Russian Gulag spring to mind, complete with chained elderly residents marching single file along a breadline for their only daily provision of mouldy bread.

As Australia’s ageing population increases, an overhaul of the current system is required, one that has already begun: http://www.agedcare.com.au/events/view/12

The time for reform is certainly bearing down upon us, but the responsibility to make sure loved ones receive quality elderly care is also a burden that is to be shared by ourselves.

For those unsure, the old adage “you get what you pay for” certainly plays a large part in choosing an aged care service provider, and despite the woes and negative press we shouldn’t be disparaged about placing loved ones in aged care.

Sometimes the bread lines are in our mind.

Aged Care facilities for some people are indeed seen as 'the end of the line' Phil_o_Seffy.

It is true that families should do their homework on facilities before deciding where to place their elderly loved ones.
However, there are many other problems out there that often hinder this process.

The Elderly person may be in hospital awaiting placement in an aged care facility and the hospital staff are placing pressure on the relatives to come up with a facility quickly.

The relatives may live in a small country town where aged care facilities are few, leaving them with little choice of facilities if they want their elderly loved ones close by.

Thus, it is of absolute necessity that all aged care facilities are kept up to the national standards. It is the Governments job to provide enough financial support for this to happen.
At present this is not the case.

The impression I get is the difficulty in finding qualified and suitable staff to work in Aged Care where the wages are so low as not to be competitive with other jobs in the health care sector.

Perhaps a substantial rise in wages in that sector would attract more staff and compensate those who have already made a commitment to aged care for the truly great job they perform.

A friend worked in an Aged Care Home for a time and she once told of an elderly gent who would only eat certain foods prepared in a particular way. When his family visited he would complain to them about how he always had the same food. The truth was he would not eat any other food offered. It was a sad combination of getting attention from his family and growing dementia coupled with the family's own sense of guilt and responsibility towards their father.

Dear Phil,

I totally agree with you that families need to do
their research and ask the right questions - regarding
Aged Care Facilities. That is crucial.
Because - there are many problems.
Unqualified staff - agency staff as opposed to permanent
staff - staff ratios - all impact on the care provided.

Part of the problem is that Accreditation varies from
state to state - and from state to federal. 'Assisted
Living,' facilities are regulated by the states while nursing
homes are regulated by the federal government.

With most Accreditation standards - there are minimum
standards set - however these usually refer only to
the "physical," aspects of the Facility. That is the
size of the rooms, bathrooms, corridors, heating,
lighting, et cetera. And not to the quality of care
that is being provided.

There are recommendations for staffing ratios, but usually
only minimum standards are applied to save money. Nursing
homes are a business run by private companies for profit.
State run or local council run facilities have in the main
been phased out. The usual economics dictates minimum staffing,
and as a result - poorer quality of care and food.

Until Accreditation includes standards that cover the quality
of care being provided - (and not just the physical aspects)
of the Facility - problems will continue to exist. If not
get worse.

Families really need to do their homework - before placing
their loved ones into any Facility.

I thank you all for the comments. I guess my discussion stems from the negative light that many aged care facilities are getting, yet when even this week, six aged care facilities have been praised for their efforts in improving the quality of life for the Aged Care mental health community.

http://www.agedcare.com.au/events/view/14

Again, thanks all for the comments....

Just look at our aged people in care they realy are not getting the care they should , some have been abused and negleted ,

the homes they are in some have been have to be isolated due to infections roaming the homes they are in , and i am not wrong in saying this