There are 500,000 people in Australia who are aged 85 or older. Approximately 200,000 of them live aged care homes, and for an average of 2.5 years.
For most, it will be the last years of their life.
At the same time approximately 100,000 people receive government funded home care packages. Their average age is 81 and they receive those packages for an average of four years.
These are the people that the Aged Care Royal Commission was established to investigate the ‘quality and safety’ they are receiving in the government funded aged care system.
However one of the two commissioners, Lynelle Briggs AO, has been so taken by the plight of older Australians, often living in isolation, that she has expanded her vision on what we as a community should be doing to support our elders.
At a public forum in Newcastle last month she made this statement to providers of aged care support across the country:
“I give that challenge to you what would really work to help elderly people to enjoy the last 10 to 15 years of their life – not just people in residential care but at home. No one should be prepared to accept less”.
Nine months into her inquiry she is not happy with our aged care system. She said to the operators:
“You must have ideas around what you think will work. No one should be prepared to accept less. This is just crazy stuff.”
This boldness and passion is refreshing and uplifting. It may also be a lot more than the federal government expected when they appointed Ms Briggs as a Commissioner!
Their final report is not due until next November but the commissioners are pushing aged care operators to work harder now in delivering a better aged care system – and the government.
This is good news.
Discussion2 Comments
Why can’t there be a day centre for these people like a childcare centre. There is no reason, no excuse. Nursing homes are just a money grabbing entity. Nothing more. Been to 6 nursing homes and they’re all exactly the same right down to the crap food. Oh please! don’t go on about how they employ chefs. Pre-packed frozen mini pies, pasties and chips is not chef food.
Day care centres for these people means family can drop them off in the morning before going to work and picking them up coming home from work. These people will be sleeping at home with their family.
These centres exist in other parts of the world. In Singapore they have 24 hour centres and are also designed for dementia/Alzheimer people. there is no excuse.
The whole system in Australia is just bullshit.
I am thank full with Royal Commission into Aged Care.
Whether it’s (financial, verbal, fiscal, emotional abuse) it’s unacceptable and should not be tolerated.
(Ageing is not a burden, it’s a privilege)