Prisoners and pets fed better than people in aged care homes

PENNY pinching nursing homes are spending less feeding elderly patients than jails spend on prisoners’ meals, a new report has revealed. The AMA says the treatment is “disgraceful and appalling’’ and “wholly inadequate’’.

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PENNY pinching nursing homes are spending just $6 a day to feed elderly residents – less than jails spend on prisoners’ meals.

Aged care homes reaped $1 billion in profits last year but a shocking new study reveals they spent $6.08 per resident, on average, to provide three meals a day.

Jails spent more money feeding prisoners, at an average cost of $8.25 per day, while older Australians living in their own homes averaged $17.25 a day on food and drink.

The Australian Medical Association yesterday said it was “disgraceful and appalling’’ that most pets eat more expensive food than many elderly people in aged care.

AMA President Dr Michael Gannon slammed the figures revealed in the report. Picture: Ray Strange

AMA president Michael Gannon said $6 was “wholly inadequate’’.

“My children’s guinea pigs get fresh ingredients and more money spent on them,’’ he said. “It’s a national disgrace the way we treat our aged.”

The research study, based on financial reports from 817 aged care providers caring for 64,256 residents, is published in the latest Nutrition and Dietetics journal.

Cherie Hugo is trying to get a national program started to improve the standard of meals being served to the elderly. Picture: David Clark

The study, written by Bond University dietitian Cherie Hugo and accountants Stewart Brown, says that half the residents of aged care homes suffer from malnutrition.

It found that nursing homes cut spending on food by 30 cents per resident last year.

“Increasing the aged care profit margin by reducing food spend impacts the quality of resident care and can contribute to malnutrition rates in aged care,’’ it states.

The survey counts the cost of ingredients and excludes “nutrition supplements and food replacements’’ which cost an average of 89 cents per day.

Leading Aged Services Australia, representing nursing homes, said Federal Government rules required nursing homes to “ensure meal preferences, nutritional needs and special requirements of residents are met’’.

“In a nursing home there are significant economies of scale with food and, with many people very frail and necessarily on supplements, costs per resident will vary,’’ chief executive Sean Rooney said.

“Other conditions contributing to dietary requirements can include dementia, swallowing difficulties, poor dental health and chronic disease, depression and pain.’’

Pensioner Faye Trewick, 70, from Woodridge, compares her daily food allowance (right) to that of a prisoner’s (left).

Productivity Commission data shows that taxpayers spent an average of $61,299 per resident in aged care last year.

But the new study reveals that nursing homes are only spending an average of $2219 a year on food per resident.

Dietitians Association of Australia spokeswoman Annette Byron said: “You probably need to spend $10 to $15 a day on basic ingredients to do a reasonable job.’’

Aged Care Crisis spokeswoman Lynda Saltarelli said malnutrition was a “persistent problem’’.