Royal Commissions have a tendency to create lurid newspaper headlines and this coming enquiry into the aged care industry will unearth many horror stories, but it also presents an opportunity to create standards that will benefit every living Australian at some time in their lifetime.
The people who today are looking for care accommodation for their aged parents will be seeking similar accommodation for themselves a decade or so down the track and one of the problems is a bewildering mix of terms and conditions that apply to all the aspects of aged care in our communities. This can take the form of villages for the self supporting aged to care homes for those who have deteriorated past self care to nursing homes delivering end of life care.
Most aged people need to make progress from one level of care to another and it is important that this be financially possible. Some providers impose a hefty " restoration " fee when a facility is vacated and often this is hidden in the terms that apply. One of the benefits from this Royal Commission is the expectation that there will be uniformity in the terms and conditions that are contained in the agreements residents sign when they enter care.
This is a growth industry. We have an ageing population and care of the elderly is fast becoming as important a career path as mainstream medicine. Aged care at present is a mix of " for profit " providers and charitable organizations and it is likely that this will continue, but supervision will be required to ensure that meal standards and staff ratios are satisfactory.
Many of the bigger aged care providers have in-house entertainment facilities. This often takes the form of group games and the provision of a bus enables excursions and shopping opportunities. It is likely that independent operators will be encouraged to provide such services to be shared amongst the smaller aged care establishments.
What is not needed is a heavy handed approach that imposes impossible staff ratios and destroys the small operators. It is a fact of life that some patients become disruptive if afflicted with dementia and do not fit within the care standards that apply. It is essential that the government supply a facility to provide the specialised care needed and the one place that previously catered for this problem has been closed down.
Hopefully, this Royal Commission will do its job with compassion. It needs to deliver just the right degree of control to ensure that a common standard exists across the entire spectrum of aged care and does nothing to diminish the excellent relationships many existing carers have with their clientele.
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