The article ran in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph 23 April 2023
The recent decision to close the doors of a number of aged care facilities is devastating, with hundreds of residents and their families left searching for a new home.
Some have blamed in part new government regulations that would provide a minimum amount of care time from staff, including a registered nurse onsite 24 hours a day. The subtext in some places has been that the regulations are too onerous for the sector. There’s nothing onerous about older Australians getting the safe, quality care and dignity they deserve.
There’s no question that there are staffing challenges and financial issues in residential aged care that need to be addressed, but the new regulations are crucial. The changes were key recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aged Care, put in place to protect the health and dignity of older Australians in aged care – something which we as a country have sadly been failing to do.
Any aged care facility shutting down is distressing. The first priority must always be the security and emotional, financial and practical support for the residents and their families. The people whose lives have been upended with just six weeks’ notice.
But to jump to the conclusion that the centres are closing because of the new regulations, and therefore attempt to make the link that the regulations are unworkable is dangerous and far too simplistic.
The vast majority of aged care centres are already meeting the targets and the government has been at pains to say it will work with centres which don’t meet the targets by the deadline, but are taking steps to get there and are continuing to provide safe care. They aren’t being forced to close as a result of the deadline.
At the end of the day all anyone wants is quality aged care services for our most vulnerable older people. We needed an ambitious deadline for aged care facilities to work to because providing quality care is urgent.
Patricia Sparrow is the Chief Executive Officer, COTA Australia – the peak advocacy organisation for older Australians
