Doctors will have to justify prescribing the antipsychotic drug risperidone for longer than 12 weeks. But that won’t fix the problem of using drugs to manage aged care residents’ behaviour.
Articles on Aged care
Displaying 201 - 220 of 317 articles
After a damning interim report from the royal commission, the government will soon announce more money for aged care.
The aged care workforce is 90% women and 30% migrant. The royal commission might find that’s why it lacks clout.
Australia’s rich diversity is reflected in its older population. It’s time our nursing homes do the same.
If you’ve read the headlines about poor standards in Australia’s nursing homes, it’s only natural to be concerned about your own family or friends in residential aged care.
Independent MP Helen Haines on using ‘soft power’
The Conversation, CC BY27.1 MB (download)
Helen Haines, who does not have the real legislative power her predecessor, Cathy McGowan shared after the Coalition fell into minority government, says "building relationships is key to getting things done".
Around 6,000 Australians aged under 65 still live in nursing homes, cut off from their families and peers, with inadequate support for their disabilities.
Bureaucratic ‘red tape’ has contributed to the current crisis in our aged care system. We need a system of accountability that focuses more on residents’ outcomes, and less on processes.
Aged care facilities are employing fewer registered and enrolled nurses and more carers, which saves money but results in sub-standard care.
As the Aged Care Royal Commission shifts its focus to aged care for Indigenous Australians, access isn’t the only challenge. Often problems arise when services don’t accommodate their cultural needs.
While the majority of aged care funding comes from government, residents also have to contribute. Here’s how the payment system works.
Sedative medications and restraint belts are too often given to aged care residents with dementia to stop them wandering, prevent falls, or manage “difficult” behaviour.
Creative arts therapies allow people with dementia to express joy and sadness through painting, dance, music and drama.
The aged care royal commission begins hearing evidence today about the quality of care in nursing homes. These 10 charts show how the current system works and the challenges it faces.
Older generations are increasingly more connected, but those living in aged care continue to experience a digital divide.
This week the aged care royal commission heard evidence of long waits for home care, poorly trained staff and high fees. These 10 charts explain how the system works and why it’s under such pressure.
If you don’t plan for your aged care and make your wishes known, you may be admitted to a hospital or aged care facility when something goes wrong. That’s where most Australians end up dying.
An elderly lady needs to change the time a carer visits to help her shower. The reality of today’s market-driven home care system means she has to call a centralised 1800 number to arrange this.
The government will keep increasing the number of subsidised home care services, but it needs to find the right funding balance for the system to remain sustainable.
Antipsychotic drugs are often used to “chemically restrain” aged care residents and control their behaviour. The system needs to change – but lessons from the US tell us it’s not going to be easy.
Top contributors
-
Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
-
Professor, Aged Care Medical Research Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University
-
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne
-
Emeritus Professor of Public Health, La Trobe University
-
Professor of Health Economics, University of Technology Sydney
-
Professor in Ageing and Health, University of Sydney
-
Associate Professor of Accounting, University of Technology Sydney
-
Head of Clinical Services, Dementia Support Australia, & Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Monash University
-
Senior Associate, Grattan Institute
-
Senior Lecturer in Dementia Care, University of Tasmania
-
Associate Professor in Aged Care, Corporate Governance and Accounting, University of Technology Sydney
-
Professor of Nursing Aged Care (Dementia), University of Technology Sydney
-
Senior Research Associate, International Centre for Future Health Systems, UNSW, UNSW
-
Professor, School of Public Health, The University of Queensland; The University of Melbourne
-
Adjunct Professor, Summer Disability Research Centre, La Trobe University