Recent News

Desperate for reprieve but failed by the system

CORAL Rizzalli is tired. The 72-year-old has spent her entire life caring for sick and disabled family members and is desperate for some reprieve, but the system is failing her family.

Ms Rizzalli is the full-time carer for her sister, 67-year-old Dawn Steine who has spina bifida, osteoporosis and other heath complications and has been on a waiting list since April last year for full in-home care.… Read more

Alliance calls for end to rationing

AGED-CARE providers, medics and professional organisations will join forces today to call on all political parties to commit to end the rationing system that leaves many older Australians without the assistance they need.

In an effort to insert the issue into the election campaign, the 40 member organisations of the National Aged Care Alliance will argue that too many elderly wait too long for care in the home or have to move long distances to get into a nursing home.… Read more

Bed gridlock as aged-care homes fill up

Dozens of elderly people are stuck in Canberra’s hospitals waiting for places in aged care facilities as homes opened last year reach capacity much earlier than expected.

Care providers say they are caught between blockages in the system and the expectations of residents and their families.

According to ACT Health, there were a total of 52 elderly patients awaiting placement in the public system in mid May, including 29 patients at the Canberra Hospital.… Read more

Boomers demand more from aged care

With over 3.6 million people expected to need health assistance as part of the future aged care system, industry stakeholders must discuss the issues posed by an ageing population. By Amie Larter

It was a round-table discussion in 2012 that began the dialogue. Just Better Care convened a meeting to bring together the private sector and government to sit down and discuss what they believe would be the biggest issues facing the aged care industry.… Read more

Aged care bills – now for the Senate

Intensive lobbying from aged care providers and other stakeholder groups for a range of amendments to the five aged care bills currently before the parliament has been rewarded with a number of recommendations making it into the report of the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs’ inquiry into the five aged care bills which underpin the Government’s Living Longer, Living Better [LLLB] reform package.… Read more

Partnership in education

Source:  Australian Ageing Agenda  11 December 2012

The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency has joined forces with aged care industry peak bodies in NSW, Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory to offer the Understanding Accreditation course to association members.

The Understanding Accreditation course is a practical toolkit for aged care facilities, organised and run by the Accreditation Agency.… Read more

New continence management tools

Source:  Australian Ageing Agenda  11 Dec 2012

An online information sharing tool for health professionals about best practice in managing continence has just been launched by the Continence Foundation of Australia.

The Australian Continence Exchange (ACE) provides resources on continence management consolidated from a range or sources around the world for health professionals to access and a platform for them to share ideas.… Read more

Depression increases hospitalisation risk

Source:  Australian Ageing Agenda  11 Dec 2012

Older men suffering from depression are at higher risk of hospitalisation for non-psychiatric conditions, says Winthrop Professor Osvaldo Almeida from the Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing

Strategies that identify and manage older people with depression are needed to prevent hospital admissions and reduce health care costs, says a leading geriatric psychiatry researcher.… Read more

Palliative Petition nears 60,000

Aged Care Insite – December 2012

One woman is behind a growing campaign calling for better palliative care services, especially in the bush. Amie Larter reports

Yvonne McMaster is possibly one of Australia’s most passionate palliative care lobbyists.

Extremely concerned about current levels of funding dedicated to palliative care services in NSW, McMaster started a petition to help the NSW Health ministry be able to justify to the Treasury and the community sufficient expenditure for palliative care so that every person has the best possible attention when approaching the end of their life.… Read more

We are better at recognising illness

Aged Care Insite – December 2012

A leading doctor says medical staff and society are now more aware of the signs of depression

Older people need to be encouraged to start focusing on healthy ageing and healthy living to start alleviating the mental health epidemic facing the elderly, says a leading aged care services provider.

Dr Andrew Cole, chief medical officer at HammondCare, believes that encouraging ageing Australians to lead healthier lives by not smoking, treating blood pressure and exercising regularly could lead to a decrease in the amount of mental health issues and is good for the cardiovascular system and prevents strokes.… Read more