OPAN report 2022 exposes continuing aged care crisis

Overstretched, or under-resourced services in rural and remote locations have resulted in providers in some communities closing their books to new clients because they don't have the required staff.

Calls to providers go unanswered and services are cancelled without notice.

Both home care and residential care clients are charged incorrect, and in some cases outrageous, fees and one residential aged care client was threatened with eviction from a residential aged care facility for failing to pay fees he didn't owe, and despite him having nowhere to go.

Poor quality care has resulted in clients dying, being sexually and physically assaulted, being verbally abused for wanting to use the toilet, left unshowered, left lying in their own faeces, developing bed sores, having wounds left untreated until they became infected, left in bed for hours at a time, refused access to physiotherapy, being denied oxygen therapy and being refused visits from family members and friends.

The report The National Aged Care Advocacy Program Presenting Issues - Report 2 follows an annual audit of the more than 27,000 calls made by older people, their families and carers to aged care advocates across OPAN's national network during 2021-22. It includes 45 case studies covering a range of issues faced by older Australians in aged care including severe abuse and neglect.

"The experiences of older people in this report fall far below what they, their families and the wider community would expect," said OPAN chief executive Craig Gear.

"The stories documented in this report are harrowing. They compel us to do more to implement reform and quality improvement across a range of areas - from registration with My Aged Care, through assessment, to care in the home and residential aged care.

"Our goal is to work collaboratively with all sector stakeholders to improve the aged care system and to uphold the human rights of all older people."

Mr Gear said significant workforce issues confronting the sector have been driven by COVID-19, due to illness and immigration and other restrictions, but the report also highlights issues caused by changes to the Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services Award.

"These long-overdue changes were necessary and will improve conditions for aged care workers, but unfortunately, they have been coupled with insufficient funding across all types of aged care, as increased demand outstripped supply.

Mr Gear said five key themes had come out of the top presenting issues raised with advocates in OPAN's state and territory organisations.

Of the 27,104 cases, 49 per cent involved home care packages, 39 per cent residential aged care, nine per cent Commonwealth Home Support Program and three per cent short term restorative care.

IN OTHER NEWS:

The older person/client was the complainant in 63 per cent of cases, family member/carer in 27 per cent, other representative eight per cent and public/private legal representative two per cent.

Of the cases involving residential care, 47 per cent were about care delivery, 20 per cent COVID-19 related, 14 per cent financial, 12 per cent abuse of older person and seven per cent care access.

The report makes a number of recommendations including the implementation and resourcing of Australia's Aged Care Workforce Strategy; increased funding for the sector; a commitment to more timely aged care assessments; ensuring the proposed new Support at Home Program provides, as a minimum, the same range of services, goods and equipment as provided in the National Disability Insurance Scheme; increased transparency and capping of fees; and increased training for aged care workers.

OPAN: opan.org.au 1800-700-600

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