Vulnerable elderly Victorians easy prey for abuse in nursing homes

VULNERABLE elderly Victorians are being bashed, sexually assaulted, threatened and robbed in nursing homes, new police figures show.

Dementia sufferers are most vulnerable to psychological abuse and isolation. Picture: Thinkstock

• Elderly left for hours on the toilet
• Mean carer back on the job

VULNERABLE elderly Victorians are being bashed, sexually assaulted, threatened and robbed in nursing homes, new police figures show.

A Herald Sun investigation has found our aged care system in a shocking state, with 191 crimes against people ­recorded in 2016.

Elder Rights Advocacy chief executive Mary Lyttle said dementia sufferers were most vulnerable to psychological abuse and isolation.

“A lot of the time it’s psychological abuse, where people are told not to complain by staff members, treated badly and left alone,” Ms Lyttle said.

“Then there’s abuse where instead of having people with dementia’s care needs managed well, and any behaviours around that, people resort to using psychotropic medication. It becomes quite dangerous for the patients.”

Victoria’s aged care system is in a shocking state. Picture: Thinkstock

Ms Lyttle said there were also often cases where dementia sufferers themselves abused other patients, but nursing homes are “not obliged” to ­report” the crimes.

“Staff need to speak out if they see something that’s wrong, because it might take their statements for police to be able to go forward,” she said.

According to new police statistics, in nursing homes last year there were more than 100 assaults almost 70 sexual assaults and 180 thefts reported.

A spokeswoman for the Victorian Office of the Public Advocate said 60 per cent of cases brought to its attention involved financial abuse.

“We also see significant numbers of cases where vulnerable older people have been physically, verbally, emotionally or sexually abused,” the spokeswoman said. “Usually the abuser is a relative — often a child or their spouse — but residents of aged care facilities are particularly vulnerable to abuse by the people who are supposed to care for them.

“We have to ensure that residents of aged care facilities have the same rights and protections as others,” she said.

Federal Minister for Aged Care Ken Wyatt said the abuse of any older person in aged care was “unacceptable”.

“I want all older Australians in aged care services to live in a safe, secure and homelike environment that is free from abuse and neglect,” he said.

“Over the past three years the proportion of assaults reported to the department across the residential aged care population has remained at around 1 per cent.”

Victoria’s Minister for Disability and Ageing, Martin Foley, said he had “zero tolerance” for assaults on senior Victorians.

“It is my strong expectation that all Victorian aged care facilities are meeting their obligations. The federal regulator takes its responsibilities to senior Victorians very seriously,” he said.

The Australian Law Reform Commission released a discussion paper under the Elder Abuse Inquiry in December 2016 shining light on the gaping cracks in the aged care sector and the horrific and unreported abuse of the elderly from family members and carers.

More than 40 reforms have been suggested for law changes in areas including reporting incidents and financial guardianship.

The submissions will be accepted until February 27.

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NEGLECT OF MUMS HURT US

Alison Cahill claims her mother Maureen was neglected in an aged care home while in palliative care. Picture: Stuart Walmsley

ALISON Cahill recalls how her mum Maureen, who had dementia, endured trauma while in palliative care in a nursing home in 2014.

Ms Cahill said after a serious health incident, nurses consistently gave her mother the wrong medication, incorrectly administered it or simply forgot to give her any.

“We got to a stage where she wouldn’t get any medication unless she, herself, asked for it; this is a lady who could barely speak,” Ms Cahill said.

Staff would force-feed her mother when she refused to eat, simply to ensure they complied with audits.

“It was heartbreaking,” Ms Cahill said.

Bernadette Clohesy said her mum Clare was neglected at her Melbourne care home before she died in 2015.

Clare was once left soaking in her soiled bed sheets for more than six hours because staff didn’t bother checking on her.

Staff shortages plagued the Victorian aged care system and made it impossible for residents to get assistance during shift-change times, Ms Clohesy said.