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March 1 marks two years since the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety’s shocking final report was tabled in Parliament.
The Royal Commission was a damning assessment of an aged care system in crisis.
After years of ignorance, the final report was a call to action to put people back in the centre of aged care.
The two-year anniversary allows us the opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved and understand the work we must now focus our attention on.
Since coming into government, we have directly addressed 37 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
From July 1, older people in residential aged care will have access to a registered nurse 24 hours, seven days a week.
Mandatory average care times for residents will be increased to 200 minutes from October 1 2023, and 215 minutes from October 1 2024.
From this year, we will deliver a pay rise of at least 15 per cent for aged care workers on the minimum award.
For many, it will be their first time receiving more than $30 an hour for their work.
Some of our other achievements include:
- Creating the Star Ratings system to increase choice, accountability and transparency
- Implementing the inaugural code of conduct for providers and workers to protect older people
- Capping homecare charges and exit fees to stop the rorting
- Appointing an interim inspector general to be an independent champion for the sector
- Enhancing safeguards for restrictive practices
- Passing two aged care Acts through Parliament to keep reform moving
I have visited more than 20 aged care homes since being sworn in as Minister, talking with residents and workers about how our reforms are impacting their daily lives.
I have witnessed exceptional care being delivered and have seen problems that still need to be addressed and issues that clearly need improvement.
This is just the start of our reform mission.
We are currently working on bedding in our current reforms while addressing more Royal Commission recommendations.
We are drilling into ways to boost the numbers of aged care workers, helping aged care providers recruit and train thousands of personal care workers to care for older people at home or in residential facilities, reforming in-home aged care and working on the National Dementia Action Plan.
I am determined to make people the beating heart of a strengthened aged care system that replaces fear with trust.
Older people helped build this country. The very least we can provide them is quality care.
We have critical reforms to tackle over the next 12 months and are working hard to ensure they address current issues and set the sector up for long-term success.
I am ambitious for aged care. We will continue to pursue the issues to make sure older Australians are treated with the respect, care and dignity they deserve.
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An uncritical press release?
The actions taken by the government have made life significantly more challenging and unsafe for older adults, who may no longer be able to remain in their homes due to inadequate support and care. There is no improvement as you keep putting forward; it is the exact opposite. Anika Wells MP, you categorically claim that there have been no ‘changes’ to the Home Care Package guidelines just ‘reforms’. Sorry to say that ‘reforms’ are changes and they have been detrimental to many HCP recipients, detrimental to their physical and psychological well-being. A few weeks ago, the MyAgedCare website was promoting a story whereby a Provider was able to furnish ‘Barry’ (Barry’s story) with a raised garden because this maintained his physical activity and his enjoyment in life. This same story is no longer on the site and raised garden beds are now on the ‘exclusions’ list. How is this not a change? This is one of the many changes the government is trying to deny.
You placed ‘caps’ on fees; thank you for that, my provider has increased their fees to your cap. Who allocates the Star Rating for nursing homes? Is it the residents who receive the care? Smells of ‘greenwashing’ to me. Where has all the money gone that was thrown at the nursing homes to improve conditions with no accountability? Why not ask the residents who have a party pie and five chips dished up to them for dinner. The roast you at the table with the residents was very well staged. Would love to be wearing your rose-coloured glasses.
You have not addressed the Royal Commission guidelines; your actions have breached both the Royal Commission and Human Rights guidelines and can be considered a form of elder abuse. It is recommended that the government take immediate action to address these issues, including building more nursing homes (because it will no longer be safe to stay at home) or ensure adequate support for those in need. Humane support needs to be achieved through open and honest consultation where the needs of the recipients are fundamentally considered and acted on.
We need respect and we need to be heard. Maybe a class action will be necessary to hold the government accountable for these breaches. I leave you with a quote from a neighbour who cares for his mother who has dementia. “When I have to call mum’s provider, my stomach muscles clench because I know that they are going to say no”. Imagine how recipients feel! Further, this same man has not had one day off caring for his mother in three years (Carer’s Gateway is a joke as well).
References
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, established in 2018, aimed to identify areas for improvement and make recommendations for the aged care sector in Australia. The Commission’s final report, released in February 2021, identified numerous failures in the system, including inadequate staffing, poor quality care, and a lack of government support. (source: https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report)
The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, recognizes the rights of all individuals, including older adults, to “life, liberty and security of person” (Article 3) and “adequate standard of living…including food, clothing, housing and medical care” (Article 25). (source: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights)
Elder abuse is a global issue, defined by the World Health Organization as “a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person.” This can include physical, emotional, or financial abuse, neglect, or abandonment. (source: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/elder-abuse)
Home care exclusions need to be addressed urgently. Providers are still left without clarity. The legislation needs to be clear so consumers know what is and is not allowed so the can argue reasonably.
Unfortunatel , a trained aged care workforce, covering all categories from personal care workers to members of boards cannot be obtained by “a click of the fingers’. It will take time and we should all help by encouraging a cultural change in the community. People will not want to work in aged care if there is a continual stream of negative stories, if they will not be paid a living wage, if providers have different interpretations of the rules and regulations. We should all encourage people in the community to realise that older Australians are still people , who have lived longer lives than they have.
Care recipients are missing services at the moment, because the providers do not have the staff to provide services for which they have signed contracts. In some instances, these are basic CHSP services , which are NEEDED not just wanted.