Charli's battle for change after mum's murder

THE daughter of one of two women murdered at a Ballina nursing home says she is relieved there will be a Royal Commission into aged care.

ROYAL COMMISSION: Murdered woman Marie Darragh and her daughter Charli Darragh at St Andrews nursing home in Ballina. Ms Darragh said he is relived at the news a Royal Commission in the Aged Care will be held to prevent others suffering her mother did. Supplied picture.

"THE PRIME Minister has done the one thing I have prayed for over the past four and half years."

Aged care advocate Charli Darragh, whose mother Marie was killed by a lethal dose of insulin at a Ballina nursing home in 2014, expressed her relief at the news of a Royal Commission into aged care was made by the Prime Minister on Sunday.

Ms Darragh has been fighting for CCTV and better staff-to-patient ratios since her mother, 82, and Isabella Spencer, 77, were murdered by ex-nurse Megan Haines at St Andrews Village in Ballina.

"I am so incredibly relieved to hear the Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called for a Royal Commission," she said.

"I don't know him from Adam Ant, but I'm so happy because we have waited too long for this."

Ms Darragh said there were many damning incidents of abuse, neglect and negligence in nursing homes across the country.

She said there had been a 177 per cent increase in the number of aged care homes where a serious risk to residents was identified in the last financial year, and a 292 per cent increase in the number of facilities which refused to comply with rules.

"A nation's greatness is measured on how it treats its people, its weakest people," she said.

"I just hope it all goes to fruition as I was on Mr Turnbull's and Mr Abbott's back for ages and they never got back to me."

Ms Darragh said she hoped the commission would ensure no-one else would have to go through the trauma her mother suffered.

"We need CCTV across all nursing, aged care and disability homes in Australia, and of course we need to ensure the elderly have their dignity," she said.

"We need better nurse-to-patient ratios, we need our staff to be fully qualified and have undergone rigorous and thorough career history and police checks."

Another issue was to ensure the elderly were not abused financially, she said.

"We need to have a resident's power of attorney held by more than one person to avoid financial abuse," Ms Darragh said.

"And we need to ensure their food and dietary services are as good as possible."

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The Royal Commission will primarily look at the quality of care provided in residential and home aged care to senior Australians and will also include young Australians with disabilities living in residential aged care settings.

Its detailed terms of reference will be determined in consultation with the community, including residents and their families and aged care providers.