Disturbing media reports about the ill-treatment of elders across Australia’s residential care facilities contributed to the Government setting up a Royal Commission inquiry.
While it is essential to report instances of abuse, neglect, and assault, we seem to hear very little about the older people who are living happily in an aged care facility.
The abundance of horror stories only serves to deter seniors from choosing to live in residential aged care.
Like an older woman said, “I’d prefer to die than go into one of those hellholes”.
But inundating the media with negative stories also demoralises caregivers, who often selflessly serve residents despite being overworked and paid very little.
Many carers state they work in aged care homes (despite being eligible for less stressful jobs in other areas of care) because they love what they do.
A researcher recounts her heartwarming story of how her mum and dad chose to live in an aged care home because both of them could sleep together on the same bed. It thrilled them to see the staff treat them with love, kindness, and respect.
When her mum sat in the lounge, staff who passed by often stopped to have a chat with her… suggesting that there was enough staff on duty and they weren’t being worked to the bone.
Mealtimes were fun because her mum always got a full portion despite having a small appetite.
This just goes to show how far removed this care facility was from the general picture that one gets of aged care homes being less than suitable places to
live in.
While care standards vary across facilities and there are cases of incontinence pads not being changed, residents not being taken to the toilet, and call bells not being answered, among other complaints…
It is unfair to label all residential homes and care workers as being negligent or uncaring.
While care facilities strive to offer the highest levels of service, overworked and underpaid workers and a lack of skilled staff make it difficult for them to deliver quality care.
With the number of Australians aged 65 and over expected to grow to 8.7 million by 2056 (from the current 4.2 million), aged care facilities have their work cut out for them.
In the past decade, there has been a 40% increase in the number of aged care residents aged 90 and over. Older people are more likely to develop illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes and cardiac problems, which make specialized care and medical treatment a necessity.
Heart and lung ailments are also common, leading to possible breathing problems and arrhythmias, which can cause heart attacks and loss of life, if not detected and treated in time.
Moreover, as residents age, they become more fragile and are prone to falling, which can lead to fractured limbs and brain injuries.
According to CDC data, falling sideways causes over 95 per cent of hip fractures in older people.
Falls not detected in time can even lead to dehydration and hypothermia.
However, a majority of caregivers lack the specialised training to deliver such care.
Low pay scales and a lack of career opportunities add to their worries, leaving them frustrated and often causing them to resign.
While Government funding can solve the problem of low wages and attrition, the use of technology can lower their workload and make their facilities safer for residents to live in…
TEQ-FallsAlert Powered by SOFIHUB, is a passive, real-time falls detection system for the elderly, based on unique radar sensor technology combined with AI.
This elderly medical alarm does not require the resident to wear or do anything. It constantly tracks body position and provides live fall detection, including low-impact falls.
It can detect, record, and log activity in a room falls to irregular movement without using cameras.
An elderly medical alarm like the eazense keep residents safe and enable them to live independently, knowing that they will receive help in an emergency.
For caregivers, it reduces the number of unnecessary visits, resulting in significantly lower healthcare costs.
Visit SOFIHUB to book a demo, or purchase the TEQ-FallsAlert Alarm online.