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Aged Care

Aged Care

Pain is real, not a myth

It is tragic that older people commit suicide (The Age, 17/1). The National Coronial Inquiry Service estimates that two people over the age of 80 are taking their lives every week. The most common method is hanging. Ian Hickie suggests older people commit suicide because of myths and negative stereotypes…
Sarah Russell
January 20, 2016
Aged Care

The aged care gravy train

The main providers of residential aged care used to be religious, community-based and charitable organisations; the quality of care may have varied but owners were not motivated by profit. During the past decade, however, the number of privately owned aged-care facilities has grown at twice the rate of those in…
Sarah Russell
January 8, 2016
Aged Care

Risk of abuse escalates

Commissioner Susan Ryan suggests the government keep a national register for powers of attorney, so it would be clear who had control of an older person's finances (The Age, 9/11). Financial powers of attorney also need guidelines, as there are countless opportunities for an older person's finances to be managed…
Sarah Russell
November 10, 2015
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