Research by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has found that more than a third (36.9%) of all aged care residents had to go to an emergency room in 2018-19, up from 32.7% in 2014-15.
The data shows the most common reasons for a hospital trip were respiratory disease, injuries, circulatory disease, dialysis, and ‘symptoms and signs’ – likely staff realising that a resident was not their usual self and calling for an ambulance.
However, a number of the emergency presentations were for preventable conditions, with 10.5% of residents hospitalised for a fall; 5.4% for a fracture; 3.4% with a pressure injury; 1.9% with weight loss or malnutrition; and 0.5% for an adverse medication event.
Some facilities had higher rates of hospital admissions
Anyone with family living in an aged care home knows it’s not uncommon to receive a call in the middle of the night to learn their loved one has been taken to hospital.
The sad reality that older Australians living in residential care are there because they need more support than can be provided at home.
The paper underlines that the median age of both male and female admissions was 87.
Worryingly, the report finds a number of facilities where residents had significantly higher rates of hospital admissions for pressure injuries, weight loss, or adverse medication events, but these facilities are not identified because the data is not generally available.
Data not widely available
Equally concerning is the fact that this data is the first time aged care hospitalisation rates have been calculated at a national level.
The Royal Commission concludes that this data could be used to help consumers choose between aged care services as well as help providers to improve their services.
Fortunately, the lack of integration between the health and aged care systems – and the need to collect this kind of health-related data – are both areas that the Royal Commission has said it will focus on in its Final Report – now due in three weeks’ time.
However, if you are concerned about the care being provided to loved ones in aged care, you can contact the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) on 1800 951 822.
