The following is Baptistcare CEO Dr Lucy Morris' direct response to the Today Tonight story: Pension or Prison aired 4 August, 2010.
"The choice put by pensioner Henry Poole in the Today Tonight story broadcast 4 August 2010 left me desperately sad and frustrated.
"How can we give this choice any serious consideration? And yet, the fact that a comparison has even been made says something about the financial value placed on our services to our seniors by the wider community and government.
"It has not, however, addressed the care, love and attention present in our residential and community services which makes a mockery of the choice offered in this story.
"It seems to me that governments respond to pressure from the community – that is how our democracy is meant to work. If governments don’t see the need to prioritise funding and resourcing for our aged care services – perhaps we need to take a long, hard look at how we as a community see our seniors and maybe start to rearrange our expectations of ourselves and our governments.
"I believe that currently, our aged care system is designed by government to provide an adequate risk management strategy for potentially troublesome seniors issues, so the government can successfully outsource blame, risk and care.
"Aged care providers make good scapegoats and deflect true accountability. Quality of life really is not and can not be a consideration while ‘quality’ is viewed in a punitive, retributive aged care system, where all providers are seen as ‘shoddy’, ‘unprofessional’ and ‘out to rort the system’ and all residents and families are seen as ‘survivors’, ‘beating the odds’.
"As the CEO of a large, faith-based not-for-profit organisation, I am outraged, frustrated and upset that this is the only perspective on show for the wider community and wish that we could have a sensible debate about the difficult choices everyone makes as they decide on care for themselves and family members; and as the provider, what choices can we offer to residents and staff that ensure homelike, caring, relational, stimulating environments for seniors in lieu of continuing to live at home.
"Our choices in how we provide care are severely limited by governments, regulation, compliance, punishment and institutional practices and do not reflect community expectations. We achieve far better than what is reported and it is a credit to the staff and families that they are able to do so. Finding room to be innovative and creative while being good at what we do is a challenge. Baptistcare will go on meeting that challenge to the best of its ability, as a not-for-profit, faith-based community service provider. We will go on improving, sharing, caring and celebrating life, our residents, families and each other. But we need the help and support of communities and governments. We are community citizens seeking to do the best we can.
"So, Today Tonight, can we have a different sort of story please?"
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
ACSWA Perth members - including Baptistcare - protest the state of the aged care system
Baptistcare CEO, Dr Lucy Morris, along with Aged and Community Services Western Australia (ACSWA) CEO Stephen Kobelke and other members of the ACSWA Board created a protest rally outside of one of UCH's aged care facilities in Balcatta.
The members were in attendance to raises awareness of the dire situation of aged care providers in Australia, and more specifically, in Western Australia; that the vast majority are running on reserve funding, that there are currently no plans to build more aged care infrastructure to cope with impending demand and that hospitals are currently massively over crowded with people who could be residing in aged care.
To see coverage of this event via WA Today click here
The members were in attendance to raises awareness of the dire situation of aged care providers in Australia, and more specifically, in Western Australia; that the vast majority are running on reserve funding, that there are currently no plans to build more aged care infrastructure to cope with impending demand and that hospitals are currently massively over crowded with people who could be residing in aged care.
To see coverage of this event via WA Today click here
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
New Poll - What IS the biggest issue for Aged Care?
So where do we start? What is actually the biggest issue facing aged care in this state?
We - the providers - can tell you our problems until we're blue in the face; and we do.... but unless these issues share the same priority in the general publics' eyes we're really wasting our breath.
So, with the desired end point being a revised system for aged care in Australia - where do we start? What are the most important issues - to YOU - that we need to be addressing now (or indeed, last week/year/decade)?
Please contribute to the Poll - to the right of this blog post - and we can begin the process together!
We - the providers - can tell you our problems until we're blue in the face; and we do.... but unless these issues share the same priority in the general publics' eyes we're really wasting our breath.
So, with the desired end point being a revised system for aged care in Australia - where do we start? What are the most important issues - to YOU - that we need to be addressing now (or indeed, last week/year/decade)?
Please contribute to the Poll - to the right of this blog post - and we can begin the process together!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Response to CPSA comment on The Grand Plan
Response written by Baptistcare's Director of Life Services, Ken Baker.
http://tinyurl.com/2f4nszo
While the article from CPSA (Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association) had the objective of making aged care a centre-piece for all parties in the current election lead-up, a move that is fully supported by Baptistcare and, I'm sure many other providers, it is unfortunate and unrealistic to believe that criticising all aged care providers will actually help focus the political glare onto aged care.
The focus needs to be on increasing community awareness that the desperate state of aged care is due to government policy and not through provider mismanagement as the Government would have you believe.
Funding for the aged care sector remains a critical short, medium and long term issue and the serious decline in funding in real terms over more than the last 10 years has been a major contributing factor to the increase in size of aged care facilities and changed nursing ratios.
Without realistic funding and/or reforms to the aged care system as a whole this trend can only continue.
As Baptistcare is a member of the not for profit sector in aged care it is not appropriate for us to comment on the business models of the private or for profit sector. Baptistcare’s commitment to aged care is predicated on care for the people and to continue doing this it needs to remain financially viable
For real change to occur in aged care the wider community needs to start valuing the work done by those in the aged care sector.
http://tinyurl.com/2f4nszo
While the article from CPSA (Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association) had the objective of making aged care a centre-piece for all parties in the current election lead-up, a move that is fully supported by Baptistcare and, I'm sure many other providers, it is unfortunate and unrealistic to believe that criticising all aged care providers will actually help focus the political glare onto aged care.
The focus needs to be on increasing community awareness that the desperate state of aged care is due to government policy and not through provider mismanagement as the Government would have you believe.
Funding for the aged care sector remains a critical short, medium and long term issue and the serious decline in funding in real terms over more than the last 10 years has been a major contributing factor to the increase in size of aged care facilities and changed nursing ratios.
Without realistic funding and/or reforms to the aged care system as a whole this trend can only continue.
As Baptistcare is a member of the not for profit sector in aged care it is not appropriate for us to comment on the business models of the private or for profit sector. Baptistcare’s commitment to aged care is predicated on care for the people and to continue doing this it needs to remain financially viable
For real change to occur in aged care the wider community needs to start valuing the work done by those in the aged care sector.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Aged Care industry outrage is rising - will we be heard?
The following is an open letter written by Aged Care Services Australia (ACSA) CEO Greg Mundy:
Aged care anger builds over lack of action on subsidies
Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) is calling on all political parties to commit to an immediate increase in aged care subsidies.
ACSA chief executive officer, Greg Mundy, said residential and community care providers in the not-for-profit and faith-based sector are at a loss to understand why the Government has ignored their pleas for a lift in the subsidy.
"Our open letter to then Prime Minister Rudd in June stressed that older people were being let down by the lack of funding," Mr Mundy said.
"We explained that this year's increase of 1.7% was not enough to cover basic costs, evidenced by the 2.9% rise in the cost of living among other indicators."
Mr Mundy said the Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot, responded on the Prime Minister's behalf, and outlined the Government's investment in aged care and its program of reforms.
"However, the Minister failed to acknowledge the impact the very real current funding shortfall is having on older people right now."
The Government must bridge the gap by restoring an additional 1.75% for residential care, extended to community care, to ensure services and support for older people can be maintained, he said.
"This interim measure will help sustain services and therefore older people, until significant reforms can be undertaken following the Productivity Commission inquiry into aged care.
"This issue along with improved choice and better access as part of a properly funded and regulated system will feature strongly in our conversations with MPs in the lead up to the Federal election.
"Aged care providers will continue to lobby local members and candidates to seek action on this issue."
Thursday, July 15, 2010
From the CEOs desk...
As CEO of Baptistcare I am tired and frustrated at the lack of energy and goodwill generated by Governments past and present towards the seniors in our community and their current and future care needs. It is an arrogant assumption by the government that assumes nobody in our community cares enough to say anything or to make a fuss. It leaves providers like Baptistcare struggling to provide services that meet our own expectations let alone those of the residents, their family members and the community.
The government relies on this as part of their risk management - and as a not-for-profit provider I say 'enough'. We operate out of a strong sense of mission, we are committed to providing services to people in our community, we rely on the goodwill of our staff and the support of the community to persuade governments to sustain sufficient funding to do our work properly.
It is a scandal that our community is only able to focus on 'quality care' and not even have the resources to think about quality of life.
Why do people not want to think about needing aged care services? Because they do not want to think about what it means for that chapter of their lives. Well, it should mean that our services enable people to live life to the full to the very end, in good surroundings with access to the community without barriers, with care that is tailored to individual needs for the person who is aged and their families. It should not mean only quality care intentionally institutionalised, and based on a medical model to suit the government in managing their risk.
And where do our staff figure in this - they are nowhere on the government's radar. People delivering human services are the lowest paid in our communities and as a community we should not accept this proposition. Our people are as important as anything else currently being considered by governments when they contemplate investment in this country's future. Invest in our people please and invest in quality of life for some of our most important citizens.
Dr Lucy Morris
The government relies on this as part of their risk management - and as a not-for-profit provider I say 'enough'. We operate out of a strong sense of mission, we are committed to providing services to people in our community, we rely on the goodwill of our staff and the support of the community to persuade governments to sustain sufficient funding to do our work properly.
It is a scandal that our community is only able to focus on 'quality care' and not even have the resources to think about quality of life.
Why do people not want to think about needing aged care services? Because they do not want to think about what it means for that chapter of their lives. Well, it should mean that our services enable people to live life to the full to the very end, in good surroundings with access to the community without barriers, with care that is tailored to individual needs for the person who is aged and their families. It should not mean only quality care intentionally institutionalised, and based on a medical model to suit the government in managing their risk.
And where do our staff figure in this - they are nowhere on the government's radar. People delivering human services are the lowest paid in our communities and as a community we should not accept this proposition. Our people are as important as anything else currently being considered by governments when they contemplate investment in this country's future. Invest in our people please and invest in quality of life for some of our most important citizens.
Dr Lucy Morris
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Get the FACS*!
* Finding an Aged Care Solution!
The Get the FACS! Campaign is all about finding a solution to the HUGE issue that is the current aged care system in Australia - and more specifically in WA.
This campaign has five main messages:
Access - Access to quality aged care is a right for everyone, no matter their geographic location, their financial situation or their family situation; many aged care providers in rural or regional locations don't have access to the same training or funding opportunities that their counterparts in the metropolitan areas do.
Image - Despite what the media may argue, aged care providers aren't the bad guys in this situation; we are all activly working towards finding a) more funding for our current residents and clients and b) a better long-term solution for aged care in Australia.
Aged care facilites are also often viewed negatively and thought of like hospital wards - have you been to one lately? They are nothing alike! Aged care homes are just that - homes for our residents.
Economy - If Australia's economy is one of the most stable in the developed world, how is it that we don't have enough funding allocated to look after our older Australians? Federal Government funding needs to be appropriate for providers to provide QUALITY care - we DO NOT sacrifice quality care for profit!
Team work - The Federal Government, the Health Sector (Hospitals etc) and the Aged Care Sector must all work together to find a solution for our impending 'crisis'.
Inevitability - We're all going to get old. FACT. Do yourself a favour and support this issue well before it's something that you have to worry about!
The Get the FACS! Campaign is all about finding a solution to the HUGE issue that is the current aged care system in Australia - and more specifically in WA.
This campaign has five main messages:
Access - Access to quality aged care is a right for everyone, no matter their geographic location, their financial situation or their family situation; many aged care providers in rural or regional locations don't have access to the same training or funding opportunities that their counterparts in the metropolitan areas do.
Image - Despite what the media may argue, aged care providers aren't the bad guys in this situation; we are all activly working towards finding a) more funding for our current residents and clients and b) a better long-term solution for aged care in Australia.
Aged care facilites are also often viewed negatively and thought of like hospital wards - have you been to one lately? They are nothing alike! Aged care homes are just that - homes for our residents.
Economy - If Australia's economy is one of the most stable in the developed world, how is it that we don't have enough funding allocated to look after our older Australians? Federal Government funding needs to be appropriate for providers to provide QUALITY care - we DO NOT sacrifice quality care for profit!
Team work - The Federal Government, the Health Sector (Hospitals etc) and the Aged Care Sector must all work together to find a solution for our impending 'crisis'.
Inevitability - We're all going to get old. FACT. Do yourself a favour and support this issue well before it's something that you have to worry about!
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