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Aged Care

Aged Care

Respect living wills

I arrived at an aged care facility recently to find a fire truck, 2 Mobile Intensive Care Unit Ambulances (MICA), a paramedic motorcycle and an ordinary ambulance. The flashing lights heralded the death of a 94-year-old resident. The nurse in charge had dialled 000 despite explicit written instructions that the…
Sarah Russell
August 11, 2015
Aged CareHealth Care

Too quick to prescribe

I am the medical power of attorney of my 91-year-old mother, who lives in an aged-care facility. She was recently reviewed by a psychogeriatrician, who prescribed a new drug to slow down the progression of Mum's dementia, despite the fact her dementia is progressing slowly without this drug. Instead, I…
Sarah Russell
August 6, 2015
Aged CareGender

Greed and ageism underpins financial elder abuse

I agree that financial elder abuse is underpinned by children’s sense of entitlement to their parents' assets. It is also underpinned by greed. The statistics suggest that this form of family violence may be gendered with older women more likely than older men to be the victims. These statistics also…
Sarah Russell
June 23, 2015
Aged CareGender

Greedy son syndrome

Financial elder abuse is family violence. Senior Law suggests the contributing factor is ageism rather than gender (Domestic violence victims not just women). However, research shows that women over the age of 80 are most at risk of financial elder abuse, with adult sons being the most common perpetrators. Some…
Sarah Russell
June 5, 2015
Aged CareGender

The problem of parental plunder

Australians are living longer and living richer than at any time. While some older people are enjoying their wealth - travelling the world, their luggage broadcasting that they are ''spending their children's inheritance'' - others live in aged care facilities, with their children keeping their eyes peeled on the ''Bank…
Sarah Russell
December 2, 2013
Aged CareHealth Care

Generation google

I regularly do The Age crossword with a delightful group of elderly women who live in an aged-care facility. These women have done the crossword for more than 60 years. For them, nothing is certain except death, taxes and The Age crossword. These women have an excellent knowledge of synonyms…
Sarah Russell
August 9, 2013
Aged Care

What discrimination

The Australian medical Association claim that older people are being refused access to surgery in public hospitals. Where, I ask, is the evidence to support this claim? In making treatment decisions, a range of factors are taken into account.  Even in a utopian world of unlimited health resources, the most…
Sarah Russell
November 9, 1998