An old man in Sydney
Hold onto your seatbelts folks, it’s going to be a rough ride. This Monday a TV programme on ABC 4 Corners will feature the state of Australia’s Aged Care. It will be broadcast in two sessions. Something to look forward to during the following Monday evening as well. The Government getting wind of this program, decided to now have a Royal Commission into aged care. Royal Commissions are made to quieten down things. It shows the Government ‘doing’ something. We sometime get a bit restless and there is nothing like a Royal Commission for the Government to subdue us into passive acceptance of whatever might be happening.
Aged care has always been the weedy neglected garden of few countries, including Australia. If you survived the years of receiving the miserable pension, you have been well warmed up for the end of it all in a retirement village. Many of you would have seen the footage of several videos on TV whereby elderly aged-care recipients were bashed up or assaulted. The videos were a result of family members’ concern that often their elderly parents showed repeated bruising or festering wounds. A daughter or son would install a secret camera hoping to catch the assault and have it as proof. In many cases it showed assaults taking place. Police took action and a paddy wagon was shown whereby the nurse was led into. That’s just one case where he was caught.
How often does this happen? I can’t say I look forward to that kind of journey. If it happens I will not keep any slippers near my bed or other implements that might get used as weapons to attack me. Certainly not hard cover books, magazines, hard fruit, coconuts. Just imagine getting hit over the head by a copy ‘Of Human Bondage.’
It is more a reason to stay well away from nursing homes no matter how well they advertise themselves. I don’t believe footage of an elderly retiree around the communal aged care home ‘The Setting Sun’, sipping a chardonnay while swirling around with a svelte 89 year old. The elderly gent is more likely to get bashed up by his own slippers as shown in one video where an enraged nurse hoed into the defenceless old man.
It’s not getting any easier. Is it?
Tags: Aged care, Chardonnay, Government, Royal Commission, Svelte, The Setting Sun
Oosterman Treats Blog 
September 16, 2018 at 1:38 am |
The government has taken money out of the retirement industry. Bill Shorten said today on the Insiders that the government could do much now to relieve the stress the industry is under. Have you noticed they call it an industry? The Royal Commission could be a smokescreen to delay any action until after the election.
LikeLiked by 2 people
September 16, 2018 at 2:58 am |
There is a large retirement village at the back of us. We almost daily walk past it. The gardens are well-kept and there is a parking spot for visitors. It is an Anglo-care retirement home. I have never heard blood curdling screaming coming from that place or seen any blood-stains on the walkway.
It is nothing like my mum’s retirement home looked in Holland though. This one near us looks dated and rather depressing. Plastic flowers and so grim looking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 2:37 am |
The ‘retirement industry’ is a business that has to run on a profit for mostly it is privatized now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 3:07 am |
You are right, Uta. They are mainly run for profits as is our health care, and much of private education. Huge consortiums run the aged care with PHD’ s young bloodhounds going over the figures and come up with even better ways to shave of costs, minimise expenditure and maximise the income.
Best to keep going as long as possible. I have increased my intake of fish and walk as much as possible. All we have is this moment. Our garden is now overcoming the heavy frost we had. Even our Clivias have all survived and are soon in full bloom.
How are you two going?
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 5:44 am |
How are we two going, Gerard? So far, so good actually. No nursing home in sight for us yet. We hope this is going to be not an option for us for a long time to come, if ever. For as much as possible we try to eat healthy food, go for walks, watch TV programs that are of interest to us. We especially like to watch thought provoking films. We have just been watching ‘Eye in the Sky’:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_in_the_Sky_(2015_film)
A truly well made movie and very dramatic. Can you accept collateral damage? The question is, is it ethical to kill one dozen people to save 80 people from a terrorist attack? My opinion is, if you are prepared to deliberately kill one innocent person then you are not any better than the terrorists who are prepared to kill any number of innocent people. I wished that these drones to kill people had never been invented. They should be outlawed for deliberately killing innocent people, no matter how high the stakes. The same goes for nuclear weapons and poison attacks. Why, why, why do we have to be at war with everyone who is a bit different from us? Are all these wars mainly economic?
LikeLiked by 2 people
September 16, 2018 at 10:05 pm
Keeping away from aged-care is now our main objective too. The horror videos outlining the assaults on elderly is a good incentive.
We have moved away from thought provoking movies and are hooked on ‘SBS on Demand’ Scandi noire genre movies. On the whole they have good outcomes, alas with lots of murder and mayhem in between. Perhaps not all that unlike what happens in Aged-Care with suspicious relatives installing cameras inside trying to unravel strange bruises on old Pop.
A very good ‘must see’ movie is ‘The Wife.’ One that ought to earn lots of awards. A great story and superb acting.
LikeLiked by 2 people
September 16, 2018 at 11:35 pm
Gerard, thank you for mentioning this movie ‘The Wife’. I am sure it is a movie worth seeing. I looked up a trailer here:
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 4:39 am |
Aunt Esther had excellent care here in Canberra. I help weekly at another nursing home (have done so for eight years) and haven’t seen any issues. But 4 Corners will be very revealing because I know it’s not the same countrywide.
LikeLiked by 2 people
September 16, 2018 at 5:15 am |
Aunt Esther was fortunate to have a had a combination of people around her who cared, Peggy. Ideally that should be in place in a well functioning society or community, not just for the elderly but for young and old. I believe the elderly should not be excluded from the rest of us.
I am not sure we would be cared for within our Strata-Body-Corporate. My daughter’s life is in Sydney and struggles as it is with normal life. That means a need for care might eventually arise and hence, the issue of Aged Care.
https://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/students-move-in-with-residents-in-dutch-nursing-home-and-help-combat-social-isolation-and-10401882.html
Ideally the passing could occur spontaneously without ill-health, disability or any need for aged care. That would be ideal.
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 4:49 am |
Jeesus, Gerard..it’s gonna be hard to get a laugh out of THIS subject!
LikeLiked by 2 people
September 16, 2018 at 5:35 am |
No, but the subject can be funny. I watched a Swedish film ‘A man called Ove’ dealing with an elderly person in a Strata set-up. It was hilarious.
https://www.npr.org/2016/09/30/495976398/a-swedish-curmudgeon-wins-hearts-on-the-page-and-now-on-screen
LikeLiked by 3 people
September 17, 2018 at 2:58 am
It’s a great film. The book is excellent too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 17, 2018 at 3:02 am
This is a very good and funny book about a Dutch retirement home ( a NY Best seller)
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/289216/the-secret-diary-of-hendrik-groen-83-years-old/
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 7:06 am |
And there’s this..: https://freefall852.wordpress.com/2018/09/16/the-old-couple/
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 10:13 pm
Brilliant! Should be obligatory reading in all Aged-Care homes. A different kind of bible reading each morning.
LikeLike
September 16, 2018 at 10:34 pm
And flamenco dancing in the afternoon?..You know..I had this wild idea for a sitcom set in an aged care home and simply called : “Home”…where the clients really run the place covertly just like a miniture version of real society…ie; they “deal” with their medication, run a tote on everything down to the sex-lives of the staff and even have a dance team with that as i described flamenco Aunt!..Just like we used to have down at the local pub back in my young years where “Little Johnny” was the SP bookie and the barman ran a sly-grog operation and “mick” could get you a “deal” for a price etc…
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 5:12 am |
We can only get the care we can afford….Scary !
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 5:40 am |
It might have to get better than what is provided now. Abusing the elderly should not happen in care homes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 5:42 am
No it should not !
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 6:33 am |
Had an “colourful” aunty who was once a Spanish dancer and she would sometimes at the aged care home do an impromptu flamenco shaking a pill-box as maracas and using her false teeth as castanets !
LikeLiked by 2 people
September 16, 2018 at 10:20 pm |
‘Colourful aunties’ are in short supply. Dental implants have been a curse and caused the downfall in spontaneous outbursts of Spanish dancing.
LikeLike
September 16, 2018 at 10:36 pm
I also have another Aunt who was a rather “naughty girl” in her young years (and, I believe, not so young years)…she’s still ticking along!
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 6:39 am |
It is not! 😦
As Uta said wisely…it’s become a business. I’m not sure the word “care” is even a part of it any more. 😦 Those elderly who have a lot of money get the best options…those who don’t have a lot of money…few to no options. 😦
It’s a sad sad sad situation in our world when we don’t take good care of children, seniors, veterans, the ill, and others who can’t care for themselves. 😦
And to think of all the money that governments and others waste…money that could be used to care for those who need help.
Okay. I’ll get off the soapbox and try to calm down.
This is an important post, Gerard! Thank you for sharing it and for reminding us of some very important things.
(((HUGS))) to you, Helvi, and Milo.
PS…with my luck, I’ll have a hardbound copy of War and Peace by my bed! 😮 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 10:30 pm |
The Royal Commission will at the minimum throw a headlight on the plight of the elderly but also on the disabled, mental health etc. Government after Government demonises taxation and keeps on lowering taxation revenues. The logical outcome will finally be a no-tax regime.
Morrison refuses to acknowledge that $ 1.2 billion was taken out of aged-care. He, instead reckons it was through better efficiency that the $ 1.2 billion was ‘saved’.
Plenty of money though for war hardware, including sub-marines.
Thank you for the hugs.
Helvi and I are doing fine. Milo is on nightly possum watch and looking bleary eyed.
Hugs too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
September 17, 2018 at 8:05 am
Oh, I wish Milo had a blog! I’d love to hear about his possum adventures.
On rare occasion, Cooper takes over my blog and tells it like it is. He hasn’t done that in some time though. 😀
LikeLike
September 16, 2018 at 10:19 am |
Thank goodness for Four Corners is all I can say. How often has that program raised the public awareness of scandalous behaviour in some quarter? No wonder the present government is so frightened of the ABC!
LikeLiked by 3 people
September 16, 2018 at 10:34 pm |
The ABC is doing a good job, especially considering that the organisation has had funding cut too.
The present lot of Government ministers are drawn to the commercial broadcasters where a hellish combination of low brow shock jocks are in charge.
LikeLiked by 2 people
September 17, 2018 at 2:01 am
Indeed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 6:32 pm |
We have had several friends/relatives in senior living homes. All have been well treated. None of them liked the place. The cost went up for each thing done to or for them. They all look nice, but nothing like ones’ own home. I’m sure it depends on the condition of the resident. The alternative is home care, but it is difficult to find qualified people to come in. The cost is sometimes more than the elderly can afford too. It’s a problem.
LikeLiked by 2 people
September 16, 2018 at 10:44 pm |
We shall wait and see. Cross the bridge when we come to it. I have reached the stage where I am checking out the ‘ fashion wear nappy for the big boys’ section at Aldi’s. Advertisements are now busy trying to ‘normalise’ men wearing nappies. One ad even shows an old bloke wearing nothing but nappies. He is bursting with pride. His chest is all puffed outwards. He is standing next to the latest model Jaguar.
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 16, 2018 at 11:23 pm |
An old miner I met back in my much younger years…. ; https://freefall852.wordpress.com/2016/06/15/the-stroy-of-hannibal-hannibals-tale/
LikeLike
September 17, 2018 at 2:30 am |
There are tales of abuse and such here, too. The for-profit prisons, care centers, and so on have a good number of problems, but most are related to cost-cutting. Staff is poorly paid, and etc. and etc. ad nauseum. If you don’t have money, you’d best keep walking and eating fish. I have salmon in my refrigerator, and a brand new pedometer. I will do my best!
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 18, 2018 at 3:19 am |
The ABC broadcast was last night. It showed that if a country’s level of civility and compassion is measured by how well we care for our elderly than Australia has to be considered a most barbaric society.
Care for profit only, does not work.
What is most astonishing is that there are no ratios in place between staff numbers and patients/elderly/clients.
A most shameful situation. I bet it will not change. That is Australia.
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 18, 2018 at 3:36 am |
The silence of the lambs…: https://freefall852.wordpress.com/2016/12/07/the-silence-of-the-lambs/
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 18, 2018 at 5:28 am |
Four Corners does a fantastic job. It’s amazing how the politicians then try to do something. I do think Royal Commissions do help to change our society, the latest being into banking. It took years for the politicians to take complaints seriously. Hopefully there will be changes and awareness to make our society a more caring one.
Great post, Gerard. I hope, like you, not to end up in a home for the aged. Frightening stuff!
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 18, 2018 at 11:25 pm |
The elderly in care have always had a rough go. Anglo-care and other religious organisations are linked to aged care. I don’t understand why that is so. Perhaps ( lack of) care for children and the old has always been on the edge of society. I believe in England it is the same.
Till the seventies children from single mothers here and in England were often taken away, and in the case of England, were exported to Australia and Canada as cheap labour on farms or house-maids.
It’s all a shameful situation.
I can’t imagine Helvi and I ever going for aged care. Three incontinence pads per 24 hours sends shivers down my spine. One carer said that she hesitated putting soiled pads back on a patient. I could not believe when I heard that on 4 corners…
LikeLiked by 3 people
September 19, 2018 at 4:09 am |
You mention the pads, Gerard. We wouldn’t even let a baby sit in soiled or wet nappies. Horror to think such conditions are prevalent.
Did you hear last night on ABC TV that kids are now blaming the elderly for staying in their homes and causing the housing crisis!!
One can never win! Let’s hope you and Helvi and Chris and I can stay in our own homes regardless of criticism. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
September 19, 2018 at 10:28 pm |
Yes, Barbara.
Let’s stay tight and hold onto our chairs. I am now eating more herrings and go for daily walks with Helvi. Even so, there is a quickening of breathing and the climbing of stairs go with some panting. At night when I awake I check my breathing to see and perceive I am still here.
I don’t want to get a beating in an aged-care home. That’s for sure.
LikeLiked by 1 person