Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #AgedCare
Most recents (24)
Government released its draft National strategy for the Care and Support sector today. I haven’t read it in full detail, but credit where it’s due - really promising to see the focus on some key issues impacting the sector. Here are my early thoughts. #auspol #ausecon
A driver of this work is the persistent issues impacting supply of labour. Challenges at the intersection of the labour market and care economy are well known. Consumers see it through cancelled appts, thinner rosters on Aged Care sites and difficulty confirming services
Longterm scarring of the care workforce due to pay, recognition and nature of work is impacting the ability of providers to access labour resources. This is no longer an issue in regional and remote areas, but one across geographies and cohorts.
Concerns regarding exploitation of the #agedcare funding system & repeated calls for accountability & transparency R well founded. A brief (by all means not comprehensive) history on #rorting or 'maximising' in aged & home care @JasonWardCICTAR @anmf_federal
(2012) Nursing homes: The manner in which govt was prepared to turn a blind eye to #rorting in #agedcare was revealed when employees in the Health dept blew the whistle on ABC @4corners in 2012 web.archive.org/web/2019070807…
Few important things going on in #agedcare lately:
1) Bupa ANZ continues to top our list of worst-performing aged care providers, with 39 sanctions & penalties in the last three years - and an underlying profit of $407m in FY2021 #auspol #agedcarerc
theaustralian.com.au/nation/politic…
1) Bupa ANZ continues to top our list of worst-performing aged care providers, with 39 sanctions & penalties in the last three years - and an underlying profit of $407m in FY2021 #auspol #agedcarerc
theaustralian.com.au/nation/politic…
Those playing along at home will know Bupa has been besieged with abuse scandals, sanctions, and care failures. Its homes keep being reaccredited. Occasionally its funding is frozen. It does "apologise" every time, though, so there's that. #auspol
abc.net.au/news/2022-08-1…
abc.net.au/news/2022-08-1…
It's also been trying to offload its NZ #agedcare homes, with Macquarie Capital sounding out investors including EQT and a Japanese firm - but there were no takers. There's been chatter about it dumping its Australian homes in the past too #auspol theaustralian.com.au/business/datar…
CW: Mental Health/ Suicide/PTSD
I don’t want to jinks anything but I think I may finally be getting somewhere in sorting out the mess that is my life and insanely complex health issues. I won’t probably comment on how close I got to the advanced stages of planning I got to. 1/
I don’t want to jinks anything but I think I may finally be getting somewhere in sorting out the mess that is my life and insanely complex health issues. I won’t probably comment on how close I got to the advanced stages of planning I got to. 1/
In regards to doing everything possible to not see tomorrow. But let’s just say the past month has been scary. Those times I’ve just disappeared in here? That’s me going to “can’t see the edge cliff, because I’m right on it” because of systemic mismanaged at most levels 2/
Of various health services, It’s challenging to seek support. Because the last time I tried it was handed poorly and I’ve been literally trying to hold on. Ironically my physical disabilities probably saved my life multiple times. Cause fuck with octogenarian in care the 3/
"Cost of #agedcare could double" according to .@GuardianAus headline. But what if it was an investment .@AnikaWells .@Tony_Burke .@mark_butler_MP ? #auspol 🧵 1/8
Despite world’s highest number over 80s in #agedcare (~20% v 14.6% in NZ, 6% in US), #auspol only between ~1.2 per cent of GDP aged care – about 2/3 of the OECD average of 1.7 per cent, according to OECD in 2019. 2/8
Average now ~1.5%. Scandi countries spend 3.5% of GDP on #agedcare, "reflecting more advanced, gov managed LTC systems." Switzerland, France, Belgium, Finland, the United Kingdom, Germany & Japan spend 2-2.5%. oecd.org/health/health-… 3/8 
We'd like to set the record straight; Scott Morrison never "blew the whistle on aged care" as he claimed in the Leader's debate Sunday night. Years of campaigning from aged care workers, mounting ANMF research and evidence, a taskforce and community concern led to
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the shocking expose on aged care by @4corners - It was after that expose Scott Morrison was forced to finally respond. Did he fix the problems in the sector? No. He yet again, ‘kicked the can down the road’ deflecting action by calling a Royal Commission into Aged Care.
the shocking expose on aged care by @4corners - It was after that expose Scott Morrison was forced to finally respond. Did he fix the problems in the sector? No. He yet again, ‘kicked the can down the road’ deflecting action by calling a Royal Commission into Aged Care.
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Despite the Royal Commission interim report titled “Neglect" and a Final Report detailing a system where the extent of substandard care is ‘deeply concerning and unacceptable by any measure’ with 148 recommendations for action, the Morrison Government continued to fail to act
Despite the Royal Commission interim report titled “Neglect" and a Final Report detailing a system where the extent of substandard care is ‘deeply concerning and unacceptable by any measure’ with 148 recommendations for action, the Morrison Government continued to fail to act
It's important to urgently clarify what the Royal Commission recommended re: Registered Nurses being on-site in aged care facilities 24/7, what the Morrison govt said in its RC response, and the different claim Anne Ruston made yesterday. Short thread #auspol
The RC made two key recommendations re: staffing. The first was a requirement of a minimum number of care minutes per resident per day, with a proportion of those to be delivered by an RN. The second was that an RN should be on-site in all aged care homes 24/7 #auspol #agedcare
Different types of nurses work in aged care, including enrolled nurses & RNs. The RC recommended RNs on-site 24/7 in particular because RNs are highly trained, can administer pain medications, and their presence reduces hospital transfers & enhances palliative care #auspol
A partial list of Liberal Party failures, frauds and fiddling. Please add missing items to the bottom of the list after the multi-tweet list is completed: /2
Happy nurses after listening to @AlboMP promising to fix the #AgedCareCrisis in his right of reply to the Budget tonight.
Ratios in aged care, registered nurses on site 24/7, nutrition standards, 215 minutes of direct care for residents by carers, backing the increased wages for aged care workers with the Fair Work Commission and accountability for every dillar received in Gov funding by providers.
The Labor Party are promising to put the CARE back in #agedcare and implement the Royal Commission recommendations
1/ A report into the past reports.
Over 20 reports, from takforces, senate inquiries, consultancies and reviews.
The Royal Commission even reviewed all pastr reviews & reports
The 1st report was titled 'NEGLECT'
Our elderly don't need another report
#Election2022 #AgedCareCrises
Over 20 reports, from takforces, senate inquiries, consultancies and reviews.
The Royal Commission even reviewed all pastr reviews & reports
The 1st report was titled 'NEGLECT'
Our elderly don't need another report
#Election2022 #AgedCareCrises
2/
Just another ludicrous waste of money, waste of time and deadly delay.
The Senate committee completed yet another review into Aged Care work force issue. Then one year later the Liberals paid for another strategy on workforce issues.
It gets better...
#Auspol
Just another ludicrous waste of money, waste of time and deadly delay.
The Senate committee completed yet another review into Aged Care work force issue. Then one year later the Liberals paid for another strategy on workforce issues.
It gets better...
#Auspol
Re: @Senator_Patrick’s calls for a Royal Commission into Australia’s COVID response:
We’ve just had a $120m+ 3 yr RC into #agedcare. Morrison is yet to front a presser & answer questions about its recs. Reform-wise, the govt has cherry-picked easy fixes w/ no scrutiny #auspol
We’ve just had a $120m+ 3 yr RC into #agedcare. Morrison is yet to front a presser & answer questions about its recs. Reform-wise, the govt has cherry-picked easy fixes w/ no scrutiny #auspol
The thing about RCs and inquiries is they’ve got to produce systemic change. Otherwise they’re expensive fact-finding missions that tell us what we already know.
Look at all 17 major inquiries into aged care preceding the RC. All identified the same issues and made similar recs.
Look at all 17 major inquiries into aged care preceding the RC. All identified the same issues and made similar recs.
What’s the Morrison govt’s score card in implementing major reforms after its own RCs?
Abysmal.
Banking RC? More than half Hayne’s recommendations abandoned or not implemented. Aged care RC? Major recs like on-site nurses 24/7 rejected. Not even a presser from the PM. #auspol
Abysmal.
Banking RC? More than half Hayne’s recommendations abandoned or not implemented. Aged care RC? Major recs like on-site nurses 24/7 rejected. Not even a presser from the PM. #auspol
Peter Hartcher nails it. In the Morrison govt there's no care & no acceptance of responsibility. We know what happened in #agedcare last year. You’d think the fed govt would have put extra protections in place against any recurrence. 1/
smh.com.au/politics/feder…
smh.com.au/politics/feder…
2/ The Morrison govt would have a plan for vaccinating residents AND workers in #agedcare homes as a priority. You'd think...but it seems only around 10% of workers in aged care homes have been vaccinated. They think...
3/ Turns out the fed govt doesn’t know how many have been vaccinated & they don’t even know how many workers are in the system. 😳😳😳
This week, Sen Richard Colbeck refused to say he was responsible for aged care vaccinations. When Sen Watt (Labor) criticised Colbeck...
This week, Sen Richard Colbeck refused to say he was responsible for aged care vaccinations. When Sen Watt (Labor) criticised Colbeck...
They called it a 'once in a generation reform' but the Government's #agedcare package falls way short.
The Royal Commission gave them a clear roadmap to fix the crisis but they've left recommendations on key issues ignored or fobbed off.
These are my biggest concerns 👇
The Royal Commission gave them a clear roadmap to fix the crisis but they've left recommendations on key issues ignored or fobbed off.
These are my biggest concerns 👇
First - nothing will really change without reform to the workforce.
There was nothing to improve wages for overstretched, undervalued aged care workers.
How do we attract the needed 700,000 workers to the sector when these workers remain some of the lowest paid in our economy?
There was nothing to improve wages for overstretched, undervalued aged care workers.
How do we attract the needed 700,000 workers to the sector when these workers remain some of the lowest paid in our economy?
Second - Morrison is spending $3.2 billion increasing the basic daily fee for residential providers but doing nothing to ensure that money is tied to better food and care.
Two thirds of our aged care residents are malnourished or at risk of malnourishment. It's an emergency.
Two thirds of our aged care residents are malnourished or at risk of malnourishment. It's an emergency.
I'm so saddened by a story shared with me today.
Just this week, a paramedic was called to administer CPR to a 100yr old woman, as requested by the RN in the aged care home, on the family's instructions. There was no advance care plan in place. (1/7)
Just this week, a paramedic was called to administer CPR to a 100yr old woman, as requested by the RN in the aged care home, on the family's instructions. There was no advance care plan in place. (1/7)
Fortunately, the paramedic that attended the aged care home was a courageous young woman who managed to get the resident's family on the phone, explain the trauma that CPR would cause, and with their consent, the lady was allowed to die in peace. (2/7)
There are so many things deeply wrong with this scenario.
First - the family. Unaware that this woman was in the last stages of her life. Unsupported & unprepared for the decisions they needed to make on her behalf.
Family dynamics = key drivers of non-beneficial treatment (3/7)
First - the family. Unaware that this woman was in the last stages of her life. Unsupported & unprepared for the decisions they needed to make on her behalf.
Family dynamics = key drivers of non-beneficial treatment (3/7)
@law_rep @AlboMP The dementia patients had their photos near their beds so Mum, paralysed on right side & no speech, wanted her army photo with her’s. The bullies then called her Sergeant Major when she rang for help to the bathroom. And made her wait until she wet herself! She stopped drinking.
In Victoria there have been 637 #Covid19Vic deaths in #AgedCare so far. Minister for Aged Care Richard Colbeck said there was a plan to prevent this - the Aged Care Royal Commission reports there was #NoPlan. Time to step up, Morrison.
The Aged Care Royal Commission special report outlines that Aged Care services are a federal responsibility. It’s clear from the report that the federal government failed to learn from the Aged Care outbreak in NSW in April - it should have created a plan, but did not. #NoPlan
It also stated the AHPPC (chaired by the Australian Chief Medical Officer) provided no written guidance during the most critical time (when cases were rapidly increasing). Critical opportunities to slow spread and save lives were missed.
More than 660 people have died of #COVID19Aus in #agedcare facilities. But out of more than 220 nursing homes where coronavirus outbreaks have been reported, only 30 have had inspections by the regulator the @AgedCareQuality and Safety Commission. #abc730 @anneconnollyabc
The @AgedCareQuality Commission has imposed sanctions against 20 aged care homes saying there was “an immediate and severe risk” to residents yet other providers with a dozen or more deaths have escaped any penalty. #abc730 #COVID19Aus #AgedCare
“They cannot have appropriate oversight of a service unless they actually go there and see what is happening”, Rodney Jilek, independent nurse consultant on @AgedCareQuality. #abc730 #COVID19Aus #AgedCare
"She would rather die than live like this": Nurses fear residents in aged care homes are giving up. #abc730 @kirstenrobb #agedcare #coronavirus abc.net.au/news/2020-09-1…
Now in its sixth week, the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre was set up quickly in July, as aged care outbreaks worsened, to organise training, support, and extra staff to aged care facilities across the state. #abc730 @tomrjoyner #coronavirus #agedcare
“Part of my job is helping manage the clinical waste, and this huge exponential increase - 100 times, 200 times increase - in clinical waste at some of these facilities.” - Jane Keddie, Royal Australian Air Force #abc730 #coronavirus #agedcare
“This has been a challenging role. Knowing that we couldn't do as much as we would have liked to have been able to do in the earlier days does not sit well.” - Paul Adcock, Victorian Aged Care Response Centre head of workforce. #abc730 #coronavirus #agedcare
"It's very difficult in this environment to act with any certainty about some of the economic numbers."
@JoshFrydenberg #abc730 #auspol
@JoshFrydenberg #abc730 #auspol
"Every life is important. I don't think you should be comparing the life of an elder Australian to a younger one. We need to do everything we can to save both cohorts of our population." @JoshFrydenberg #abc730 #auspol
"You need to take into account the economic impacts of your policies and that's why I've been so vocal, as well as the business community, in calling for Victoria to provide a roadmap out of stage 4." @JoshFrydenberg #abc730 #auspol
A THREAD:
Lessons Learnt From #Publichealth
We see the pattern globally over & over again of governments not taking a strong #humanitarian leadership stand & the devastation it causes a group of people
Unfortunately the treatment of #HCW in #COVID19vic is now an example
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Lessons Learnt From #Publichealth
We see the pattern globally over & over again of governments not taking a strong #humanitarian leadership stand & the devastation it causes a group of people
Unfortunately the treatment of #HCW in #COVID19vic is now an example
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#publichealth aims to improve health of all members of society through equitable distribution & utilisation of goods & services
Programs to improve health are only as good as the government & rule of law they operate under: sustainable +ve change comes from wise leadership
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Programs to improve health are only as good as the government & rule of law they operate under: sustainable +ve change comes from wise leadership
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#publichealth covers all members of society & the sustainable development goals (#SDGs) are for all members of society
It seems unnecessary to state it but in the #COVID19vic era it now must be clearly stated:
Public Health & SDGs Apply To Healthcare Workers #HCW
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It seems unnecessary to state it but in the #COVID19vic era it now must be clearly stated:
Public Health & SDGs Apply To Healthcare Workers #HCW
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Frontline doctors and nurses sent in to #agedcare during the #coronavirus crisis speak out. #abc730 @kirstenrobb abc.net.au/news/2020-08-1…
“Recently I was holding a gentleman’s hand while his family were outside looking through the window. His daughter said thank you for holding his hand, and I said I’m so sorry that it’s me and not you.” - Clinical nurse consultant Deanne Lascelles #abc730
“I will sit on the bed, I will talk to my residents, I will hold their hand, pat their back. It’s tremendously difficult to do that emotionally through layers of PPE.” - Geriatrician Dr Jesse Zanker. #abc730
The #AgedCare Royal Commission has delivered a scathing assessment of the sector claiming that even after almost 200 deaths it is still not prepared to deal with the #COVID19Vic pandemic. @anneconnollyabc #abc730
"I want to know, when it got in there? How it got in there?": Cheryle Whittle says she’s still waiting for answers after her mother contracted #COVID19 in @mecwacare’s John Atchison Centre. #abc730 #AgedCare #COVID19Vic
Nursing homes have been given hundreds of millions of dollars extra to prepare for the pandemic – but tax expert @JasonWardCICTAR says there is no obligation to spend that on more staff or protective equipment. #abc730 #AgedCare #COVID19Vic
These infection fatality rates are only achievable if the health care system is not swamped. If it is, not only will the rate be higher for #COVID19aus, but for every other potentially fatal illness that requires hospital admission. #auspol
This is to say nothing of the long-term consequences of surviving #COVID-19 Including kidney failure myocarditis neurological consequences, And many others that we have not yet foreseen.
Bear in mind that even with our aggressive suppression, our surge workforce is getting infected in Australia. This extremely precise level of suppression that people like Adam C want is not a wise gamble.
