Archived Articles
Noeline Brown has Been Appointed Ambassador for Ageing
Noeline Brown has been appointed Ambassador for Ageing. Ms Brown, actress, comedienne and patron to many community groups, is herself seventy years old. When welcoming Noeline into her new role, at the ACSA National Community Care Conference in Sydney in June, it was stated that she would be a great advocate for older people.
The responsibilities of the Ambassador for Ageing include promoting principles of positive and active ageing, promoting active ageing messages within the community, leading activities to encourage respect for older people, explaining Government initiatives to the public, encouraging older people to plan for the future, representing the Australian Government at conferences, and attending meetings with key Commonwealth, State and local government stakeholders on positive ageing issues.
(from Australian Ageing Agenda, July/August 2008, p 11)
Janna Taylor writes to the St George and Sutherland Shire
Leader newspaper
Following is letter our CEO Janna Taylor wrote in response to an article which appeared in the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader newspaper.
We were saddened to read the front page article in the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader (Thursday 10 January 2008) on Mr Thomas Pritchard and the account of his experience in a local nursing home.
The Aged-care Rights Service Inc (TARS) is a community legal centre that provides advocacy for residents of Aged Care Homes, that is, nursing homes and hostels. TARS is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing under the National Aged Cared Advocacy Program (NACAP). When contacted by residents or their families TARS assists in resolving complaints quickly and to ensure the rights of residents in aged care homes are upheld.
TARS also provides education on the Charter of Residents' Rights and Responsibilities to staff and residents. Our education services assist residents by informing them of their rights and how they, or their families, might seek advocacy if they feel their rights are being
ignored or violated.
Older Australians 'active contributors to family and community' says national report
Older people over 65 are active contributors to family and community life, and not the 'burden on the community' some people imagine them to be, says a new report, Older Australia at a glance, released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Ann Peut, Head of the Institute's Ageing and Aged Care Unit, said the report showed that older people in Australia are a diverse group from an array of backgrounds who contribute in many ways to the social and economic wellbeing of Australia.
'For a start, 24% of men and 13% of women aged 65-69 years participate in the workforce', Ms Peut said.
'Despite having relatively low average levels of income, 24% of all older Australians were providing direct or indirect financial support for adult children or relatives outside
their household.
'And almost half of all people aged 65-74 years provide unpaid assistance to someone outside their household, one-third provide volunteer services, and 29% are actively involved in a community organisation,' she said.
In addition, older Australians aged 65-74 make up 13% of primary carers who assist people with disability.
The report also found that, although disability levels and use of health care services do rise with age, the overwhelming majority of older people live in private dwellings in the community, with only 6% living in facilities such as aged care homes and hospitals.
Even among those aged 85 years and over, the great majority (74%) live in private dwellings.
Increased longevity is resulting in marked growth in the numbers of people over the age of 85, and associated increases in the prevalence of many health conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.
Australian Institute of Health & Welfare
22 November 2007
Some thoughts on working at TARS... interview with one of our advocates
What is the nature of your job at TARS - your role and responsibilities?
I provide advocacy and advice to recipients of aged care services. I am responsible for giving residents and their relatives a clear understanding of aged care rights and legislation.
Who do you work with and report to?
I report to the TARS Manager. I work with two Solicitors, an Education Coordinator as well as Educators and Administrative staff.
What key work experience or educational qualifications do you have or need for
this job?
I have a degree in Nursing and experience in aged care and the public hospital system. Other staff, including the advocates, have backgrounds in law, education and aged and community care. We all need and have skills in listening empathetically, clarifying issues and making appropriate referrals.
How did you find/get into this position?
I had thought for some time that aged care advocacy would be an interesting field to work in because I enjoy working with older people. I then happened to find a TARS promotional pen in the street. I contacted the service and found there was a vacancy on the advocacy team. It was one of the best finds I have ever had!
What do you love about your job?
I love working with a dedicated team, helping people to be aware of their rights and as a result, empowering them to be able to make changes to improve their lives. I enjoy the balance of education and advocacy because of the different skills I use in each. Much of my work starts as an inquiry for information from callers who want to access aged care. I then help people clarify their rights and the care they should be receiving and when necessary, assist them to make effective complaints to improve the service. The more complex inquiries become advocacy cases. I find it satisfying to be able to follow these clients through the advocacy process.
It is exciting to respond to education requests as we service the Sydney metropolitan area as well as rural and remote areas in NSW. We are always welcomed by services and enjoy talking to residents and staff.
Describe your greatest moment?
I worked with a client whose mother was in an aged care home. Through advocacy I was able to help her to make an effective complaint by writing a letter to the home’Äôs management. She later called to say the Director of Nursing had responded to her letter and all her issues had been addressed satisfactorily. We don't always hear of the outcomes of the issues we assist people with, so it is always gratifying to hear from someone who has had a
positive result.
What aspect of your job do you find the most challenging?
When we hear about people in the community who have been reported to be suffering from abuse or neglect. Also, sometimes we are unable to assist people who have made incorrect or ill-informed decisions before consulting TARS.
How does your job make a difference in aged care?
Both advocacy and education facilitate positive changes in the lives of residents, their families and people working in the aged care industry by making them more aware of residents’Äô rights and responsibilities and improving their quality of life. I love knowing the work I do helps make these changes.
What kind of future career path is there for you?
I want to continue to work as a part of this team which is reaching more and more people in the community through education and advocacy. As the team grows I will be willing to take on more responsibility.
Any advice about working in aged care?
You have to be willing to respect, be kind and be patient and you will be rewarded.
RETRIBUTION IN RESIDENTIAL CARE
A Literature Review
This review examined available literature to identify the extent to which retribution - either as an actual experience or as an apprehension or expectation of older people in residential care - is cited or addressed.
It is a 56-page paper produced by PPR Consulting, and completed in May 2005 for the Commissioner for Complaints, Commonwealth Department of Health & Ageing.
The review includes:
- Evidence of extent of retribution
- Current strategies to address retribution and fear of retribution by older people in
residential care
Ring TARS or the Department of Health and Aging if you are interested in obtaining a copy.
The Need for Qualified Nurses in Aged Care Facilities
Late last year an edition of The Lamp, the magazine of the NSW Nurses' Association, focused on nurses working in aged care.
In Nurses Key to Quality Aged Care, Cheryl Edwards speaks about her passion for aged care and explains why she has stayed working with the elderly for the last twenty years. Ms Edwards raises the issue of the need for qualified nurses to provide the quality of care they deserve. She also suggests it is essential to have managers of aged care facilities who have nursing background in order to understand both the residents' care needs, and the nurses' roles
and issues.
She stresses the importance of communication between residents, families, staff and the owners of the facility. The management role of holding the wider picture of the organization, and being able to offer clinical support to staff and many residents who have complex needs which require qualified nurses to deliver this care, is therefore best served by a trained nurse. It follows that there is a need to employ staff with nursing qualifications and skills to deliver this care. There is still a place for a range of nursing roles, and she encourages her staff to develop their skills and attend courses.
To place more emphasis on the issue of quality care, in another article in the same magazine, The NSW Nurses Association General Secretary, Judith Kiejda, has stated that "the key to high quality aged care is having adequate levels of skilled and qualified nursing staff who can respond to the care needs of individual residents". She adds, "Just as not all employees in facilities in aged care facilities are the same, not all operators are the same". She stresses how important it is to have licenced nurses giving care, for the safety of both the residents and the nurses. Nurses need time allocated to sit and speak with residents and for them to communicate needs and solve problems. There is often no time for such 'luxuries' as this. She believes that if operators care about the staff, they will also care more for the needs of
the residents.
From THE LAMP, the magazine of the NSW Nurses' Association, Volume 63 no, 10
November 2006
About Seniors
Would you like information specifically for Seniors? Click on the link below to go to the website and the About Seniors Newsletter.
