Australians have until Tuesday, September 25 to have their say on the aged care royal commission.
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The Health Department has set up a website to hear from everyday Australians about their experiences. The final terms of reference will be determined in consultation with the community, including residents, their families and aged care providers.
Lithgow registered nurse and outspoken advocate for aged care Anthony Craig said he would be very interested in addressing a royal commission on the issue, especially if hearings were held in regional areas, which faced unique challenges.
“We need to be proactive and not reactive. Every time there’s a problem anywhere the government wants to introduce a bigger and bigger department to deal with the matter. That doesn’t necessarily need to be the best option,” he said.
Mr Craig said he would ask the commission to consider recommending an official visitor scheme, similar to that operating in prisons.
“A local person, that knows local people, can go along and listen to concerns of the residents, talk to the resident, the relatives and the aged care provider to see if they can come up with a resolution. If they can't then they should have the right to go to an independent body or the department itself.”
Mr Craig has invited people interested in the issue to attend a community forum he is organising at Club Lithgow on October 18, 7pm-9pm asking for people to share their concerns about aged care in the region.
Resident aged care bonds, wages, staff to patient ratio were major issues, Mr Craig said, as was the need to introduce 24-hour registered nurse care.
Security issues would also need to be addressed, Mr Craig said. He has been a long-time advocate of the use of body cameras in aged care facilities, similar to those used by some emergency service workers for the protection of patients and staff.
“At the end of the day you’ve got that person’s word against another person, the carer versus the resident… who may or may not remember exactly the events,” he said.
“There are obviously privacy and confidentiality issues to be addressed and that can be done under legislation.”
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In a statement this week, Health Minister Greg Hunt said incidences of older people being hurt by failures of care simply could not be explained or excused.
“We must be assured about how widespread these cases are.”
The government expects it will cover the quality of care, the extent of substandard care, and the challenge of dementia.
It will also look at care for Australians with disabilities living in residential aged care, particularly younger people with disabilities.
And Attorney-General Christian Porter flagged it could also look at elder abuse, including financial abuse.
"This royal commission will be about proactively determining what we need to do in the future to ensure these expectations can be met," Mr Hunt said.
The call-out comes as the aged care minister revealed the escalating number of serious risks found in aged care that led to him supporting a royal commission, despite previously saying he didn't back one.