Aged care workforce crisis: Staff too busy to take residents to the toilet

The true horror of life inside aged care homes has been revealed, amid a push for a major change to Covid rules.

Exclusive: Families and advocates are calling for aged care residents to be able to receive visitors even if there is a Covid outbreak in their facility.

It comes as the true horror of life inside aged care homes during Covid has been revealed, with residents being forced to use incontinence pads due to staff shortages and others being made to self-isolate for seven days just for going out for lunch.

In a shocking insight into the dire state of aged care in 2022, one carer revealed how residents are being given ­incontinence pads, when they aren’t incontinent, because staff do not have the time to take them to the toilet on ­request.

Staff are so stretched they are unable to get to take elderly residents to the bathroom on time.

Meanwhile, there are growing calls by aged care advocates to scrap unjustified visit restrictions.

The revised industry code states that residents should always have access to at least one visitor – even during lockdowns.

But with the onset of winter, along with an expected rise in Covid-19 and influenza cases, Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) said it is concerned “hard fought gains” will be eroded.

Older Persons Advocacy Network chief executive Craig Gear is fighting for the human rights of elderly people to be properly observed.

Its calling for visitation rights to be enshrined in law.

“Some residential aged care facilities are asking residents to isolate themselves if they leave the facility,” OPAN’s chief executive officer Craig Gear said.

Queensland man Bruno Fosci’s 100th birthday plans are still uncertain.

Bruno Fosci, 100, lives in a residential aged care home in Queensland. His family has backed calls to ensure visitations aren't stopped during a Covid outbreak. Picture: Supplied

His daughter Lina Calleja said if they take him out to lunch when he returns they will want to isolate him for seven days in his room.

“This will kill him not being able to have family or visitors just because we celebrated his 100th birthday,” Ms Calleja said.