There is a Royal Commission into Aged Care but what are the positives coming?
The Royal Commission into Aged Care started on the 18th of January and already we have heard many difficult stories. Only in the early stages, the commission has learnt a lot from the public submissions and witness appearances.
While this is a process that had to happen, there is also a lot to celebrate in the aged care sector.
Today in the Karista blog we look at some of the early learnings from the Royal Commission and what interesting and exciting innovations are to come.
What have we learnt at the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety so far?
The elderly are afraid of entering into care and would much prefer to stay home, they are no longer willing to put up with the care their parents received
The Aged Care sector is in a financial crisis - there is at least a 12 month wait for a high level Home Care Package (HCP)
There is an overuse of chemical restraints. When confronted with a difficult patient, support staff are turning first to psychotropic drugs, sedation or restricted movement
Dementia is considered the new chronic condition of the 21st Century. Dementia Australia gave evidence saying about 436,000 Australians are living with dementia today. It is expected by 2050, that number will rise to 1.1 million
The aged care workforce is underpaid and under-resourced,. To keep up with the ageing Australian population, the workforce will need to triple by 2050
Witnesses Clive and Barbara Springs supported the idea of a national database for aged care workers. Currently, there is no database of support staff which makes it difficult for employers to know if potential new hires have had complaints or recorded poor behaviour in the past
The Food. For those of us who have or had loved ones in care, we know the food can often leave a lot to be desired. Poor quality food can leave residents malnourished and is being reviewed by the commission
Consumer Directed Care, Your Life - Your Choice
The commission and the Australian Government recognise that more Australians want to live at home as they age. The Government’s policy of consumer directed care and the Home Care Package (HCP) program is a step towards meeting this need. Consumer Directed care means the consumer holds the power, the money and they make their own decisions about what care they want, how that care is provided and who provides the care.
Karista is dedicated to making consumer directed care a reality. We show you what is available in your area and provide information to help you compare and choose your ideal provider.
Other Exciting Innovations
There are many clever people working around Australia and the world to find better solutions to the current status quo. There is a new message being spread, it is no longer about an expectation of boredom but of purposeful activity. Karista has done some research and here are our picks for interesting innovations in aged care:
The Global Centre for Modern Ageing. Developed in 2018 by the South Australian Government after the closure of the motor industry, this center aims to help business and individuals to build and develop services and products with the specific intent of assisting the elderly to live and age well. The Global Centre for Modern Ageing also includes, LifeLab. LifeLab is a brand new facility allowing business, older people and researchers to develop new products and innovations.
Australia’s first ‘Dementia Village’ Korongee is being built in Tasmania. Based on the De Hogeweyk Village in the Netherlands . The Dutch model gives residents an opportunity to live in an adapted village with its own supermarket, cafe, beauty salon, their own currency and much more while being supported by care staff
The University of Wollongong is developing a-state-of-the-art aged care facility as a part of their innovation campus. Modeled on the Mayo Clinic in the US and the best of Scandinavian aged care designs, the Wollongong Center will allow researchers and residents to be integrated for the first time. The 700 hectare site will include an aged care and senior living village, 200 independent living homes and community health clinic. 650 students enrolled in courses in health and the ageing will be available to interact with the elderly community, a childcare center is also planned. The UOW envisages opportunities for the young and old alike to interact and provide mentor-ship and volunteer opportunities. Residents will also have full access to the university campus.
Sleeptite. Developed by RMIT University, Canadian smart clothing company Hexoskin and mattress manufacturer Sleepeezee; together they have combined to create a non-invasive monitoring system set in silicone fabric which is able to monitor a patient’s heart rate and blood pressure and recognise if they have fallen from bed.
PainChek, is a facial recognition software program that can detect pain in the elderly including people living with dementia, which after four years of trials and a name change is being rolled out nationally by Dementia Care Australia.
Being trialed in 50 homes, Billy is a system that gives the family or care manager a live data feed. With no cameras, nothing to wear or press, Billy works using discreetly placed sensors that monitor everything from movement to temperature and behaviour patterns which then creates a tool for prevention or intervention before incidents escalate into emergencies.
Sources: The Guardian Australia, Business Insider Australia, SBS News, Aged Care Guide, The ABC, University of Wollongong, The Global Centre for Modern Ageing, Sleeptite, PainChek, Billy
