Two more SA aged-care homes — in Salisbury and Whyalla — sanctioned

Two more aged-care homes have been sanctioned, bringing the total South Australian number to seven.

• Five SA nursing homes sanctioned for breaching standards

Two more aged-care homes have been sanctioned, bringing the total South Australian number to seven.

Olive Grove Aged Care, in Salisbury, and Whyalla’s Copperhouse Court Hostel — previously sanctioned in 2010 — both briefed residents and families about the sanctions this week.

The homes had their Commonwealth funding for new patients suspended after the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission handed down the sanctions.

The news comes just days before the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety starts in Adelaide on Monday.

The Whyalla facility failed three health and personal-care standards relating to pain, continence and behavioural management, with the sanctions imposed on January 24.

Its owner, Whyalla Aged Care, refused to go into specifics about the failed standards or the actions being taken to rectify them.

Chief executive Juanita Walker issued a brief statement, saying the company was working to address areas of noncompliance.

She refused to answer what steps were being taken to ease the concerns of residents and their families, or whether she was concerned about the facility’s reputation, given it had been sanctioned twice inside nine years.

The 42-bed home also had sanctions imposed on it in 2010 after the Federal Government raised serious concerns over health and personal care, management systems, staffing, and organisational development.

Meanwhile, Olive Grove held a residents and relatives meeting on Wednesday after the commission handed down sanctions on January 25 for breaching pain and behavioural-management standards.

The 94-bed facility has not been sanctioned before but received a noncompliance notice in 2017 for breaching standards around skin care.

Management said it had reviewed all its care provisions and record-keeping after the audit to “ensure that our care is exemplary and documented appropriately”.

It said it had brought in “ experienced advisers to assist in correcting any errors in practice that exist”.