Qld’s most shameful aged-care revelations

More horror stories from Queensland nursing homes have emerged in evidence from the royal commission into the aged-care sector.

SHOCKING cases of neglect in Queensland nursing homes, including staff ignoring broken bones, residents covered with faeces and urine and widespread use of medical and physical restraints, were highlighted in the interim report.

Evidence from public hearings in Townsville, Brisbane and Rockhampton revealed scenes of devastation as families recounted pleading for staff to help their loved ones but being ignored.

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In one case, a visitor found her mother lying across a bed crying out in pain and repeatedly saying she wanted to die.

After waiting 10 minutes for help, the visitor asked for a doctor to see her mother immediately and then for an ambulance to be called but both requests were denied.

The visitor called an ambulance herself and at the hospital doctors diagnosed her mother with a broken back.

Another witness blamed their father’s “premature death” on inadequate care.

“My father was found on the floor on a number of occasions when he had fallen, sometimes only wearing an adult nappy and shirt and was eventually found with a broken ankle,” the witness said.

“We will never know how many times he fell nor how long he was left on the floor each time as the record keeping at the facility was not accurate.”

One woman, who said her mother was frequently left isolated and ignored in her room, kept a diary of her visits, recording shocking scenes she faced when she arrived.

“Mum had long pants on inside out and back to front, no pull-up on, was smeared with faeces on her hands and needed a shower,” one entry said.

Another noted she arrived at her mother’s room to find the toilet and every towel in the room covered with faeces while her mother was wearing a “filthy pull-up”.

The interim report also covered one of Queensland aged care’s darkest chapters, revealing over 70 per cent of residents at the now-closed Earle Haven centre on the Gold Coast, owned by Arthur Miller, were being restrained on psychotropic drugs.

And half of the nearly 70 residents were being physically restrained.

The report found restraints were commonly used in Australian nursing homes as a first response to sedate residents, in breach of guidance and evidence.

Other problems revealed in Queensland nursing homes included a lack of access for indigenous and ethnic aged people to culturally and linguistically appropriate care, and a failure of the complaints process.

Originally published as Qld’s most shameful aged-care revelations