Aged care news highlights from the week ending 14 July 2019.
The information in the Weekly Wrap is aggregated from other news sources to provide you with news that is relevant to the aged care sector across Australia and worldwide. Each paragraph is a summary of the subject matter covered in the particular news article. The information does not necessarily reflect the views of CompliSpace and Critical Success Solutions.
Financial performance of aged care declining, ACFA report shows
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the number of residential aged care providers making a profit has decreased by 12 percentage points to just over half, the seventh Aged Care Financing Authority report shows. The 2017-18 ACFA report, which examined the developments, issues and challenges confronting the aged care industry, found that the overall financial performance of the sector declined last year following five years of steady improvement prior to that. The report shows that 56 per cent of residential providers made a net profit in 2017-18, down from 68 per cent in 2016-17, 69 per cent in 2015-16 and 68 per cent in 2014-15. The financial performance of the aged care sector was “significantly influenced” by a number of government policies, ACFA said.
Bev takes 14 pills a day. She's far from alone
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, new research reveals that more than one-in-three Australians aged over 70 take five or more different medicines a day. The statistic – revealed for the first time in a study published on Monday – suggests Australia’s elderly are taking more drugs, more often, than their counterparts in the US and UK. Experts aren’t sure why. Nor are they sure why the trend appears to be increasing. But they are worried. Although many people take multiple medications for good reason, taking five or more medicines together is linked to an increase in a person’s risk of frailty, disability and death.
Pensioners could see up to $804 a year more after funding boost
According to ABC News, about 1 million Australians will receive a cash boost of up to $804 a year, after the Government announced long-anticipated changes to so-called deeming rates. Seniors groups and Labor have been lobbying the Government to cut the official deeming rate, which is used to calculate how much a pensioner earns on their financial assets — regardless of the actual return. That calculation is then used for the pension income assessment and therefore affects how much someone receives through their pension. On Sunday, the Government bowed to pressure, agreeing to drop the rate. This means couples whose income is assessed using deeming will receive up to $1,053 extra a year, while singles could pocket up to $804 extra a year.
‘Exciting’ new research finds healthy lifestyle reduces dementia risk, regardless of genetics
According to Aged Care Insite, new “exciting” research coming out of the UK has found that a healthy lifestyle, which includes physical activity and low alcohol consumption, can significantly lower the risk of dementia, regardless of a genetic predisposition to the disease. The University of Exeter-led research looked at data from 196,383 adults of European ancestry aged 60 and older from UK Biobank, and found that the risk of dementia was 32 per cent lower in people with a high genetic risk if they had followed a healthy lifestyle.
Symptoms of neglect seen as inevitable part of ageing: RN to royal commission
According to Aged Care Insite, on Tuesday the royal commission hearing in Darwin heard that Lyndall, a retired nurse, frequently communicated with management about her mother’s diet and weight loss, as well as “the inadequacy of staff’s attention to her feeding and nutrition”. Lyndall stressed that the issue was about whether staffing and staff training was sufficient to meet her mother’s needs, rather than deliberate misconduct. “In my experience, the dominant culture in aged care accepts the complications of deteriorating health as inevitable. Pressure sores, contractures and tooth decay are considered part of the usual trajectory of decline rather than viewed as symptoms of neglect.”
Quest to reduce falls in people with dementia continues
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, an intensive home safety and exercise program designed to prevent falls in people with dementia in a community setting has failed to make any difference in the rate of falls, according to preliminary results of a study. The trial involved 309 people with varying degrees of dementia who were divided into two groups, one of which underwent an intensive intervention focusing on home safety and exercise. The intervention group also received up to 11 visits by an occupational therapist and a physiotherapist, who also worked with carers to provide education and guidance. But despite high hopes an initial analysis of the data suggested that after 12 months the program did not prevent falls.
Dementia medication ‘underused’ in aged care facilities
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, a study has found low rates of dementia medication in Australian aged care facilities compared to other countries including the US, the UK and Denmark. The study, Antidementia medication use by aged care facility residents with dementia, published in the International Journey of Geriatric Psychiatry in July, was undertaken by Macquarie University. The research found that antidementia medication use was less than 10 per cent each year and by 2017, this figure had decreased to 8 per cent, said Dr Kim Lind, research fellow at the Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research at Macquarie University. That was lower than other countries including the US, the UK and Denmark, the study found.
Legislation
Commencing 11 July 2019, the new regulation 12A adds an exemption from the requirement for health practitioners to comply with advance care directives. The exemption says that where a person has attempted to commit suicide, and the health directive is related to that attempt, the health care practitioner does not have to comply with the directive.
Resources and Upcoming Conferences
New Charter of Aged Care Rights resources
The Department of Health has released new resources to support the sector’s understanding of the Charter are available. Resources include a:
- Charter of Aged Care Rights booklet for consumers to inform them of their aged care consumer rights
- Charter of Aged Care Rights poster to display in your organisation and promote awareness of the Charter.
Aged Care and Elder Law Conference – 16-18 July 2019, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane
The Thomson Reuters Aged Care & Elder Law Conference series is taking place in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane over 16-18 July 2019. The conference aims to address the key issues in legal, regulatory and compliance in aged care, retirement villages and senior living, including implications of the Royal Commission, navigating the new framework and Standards, workplace risks, responding to suspected elder financial abuse, and “being litigation ready”.
National Elder Abuse Conference – 22-23 July 2019, Brisbane
According to the National Elder Abuse Conference website, the NEAC will help safeguard the right of older Australians to live free from abuse, violence, exploitation and neglect. NEAC 2019 is an opportunity to drive real change as the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety unfolds and a National Plan on Elder Abuse is in the spotlight. With speakers being progressively announced, the inspiring line-up of international, national and local experts will attract more than 500 delegates from across Australia to collaborate on the issues associated with elder abuse.
Quality in Aged Care National Conference – 26-29 August, Sydney
According to Australian Ageing Agenda, the Quality in Aged Care Conference running in Sydney from the 26th – 29th August is once again brought to you in partnership with COTA Australia and ACSA. Following a gathering of over 200 leaders at the previous in March 2019, this next conference offers insights into the next chapter of aged care reform. It is a critical opportunity for all providers of aged care services to learn from industry leaders, peak bodies and legislators and prepare their organisations for some of the biggest challenges facing the industry, including the Royal Commission and the new standards.
Living and Ageing Well Conference – 17 September 2019, Grand Hyatt Melbourne
According to Pearson Clinical Assessment, the overarching goal of clinical intervention when working with older people, regardless of diagnosis, is to improve the person’s quality of life. Whether you work with older adults in their own home and community, in a hospital, outpatient setting or in a residential aged care facility, there are strategies you could be using in your interventions to further enhance your clients’ quality of life. At this conference, we’ll share valuable insights and strategies from industry experts. And we’ll workshop tools designed to help you apply holistic care to older adults with a range of diagnoses, across many settings, with a goal of improving the quality of life for older adults.
ACSA National Summit – 8-10 October 2019, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre
Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) is hosting the 2019 ACSA National Summit, to be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC), 8–10 October 2019. The 2019 ACSA National Summit will bring together thought leaders and innovators – both local and international – to discuss hot topics, challenges and opportunities, workshopping together to uncover solutions to some of the aged care industry’s biggest challenges.
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