Appalling cases of abuse in aged care facilities prompt royal commission

AGED care facilities are meant to provide care for vulnerable, elderly residents. But a spate of appalling cases of abuse in Australian nursing homes has prompted a royal commission.

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison will announce a royal commission into the aged care sector following appalling cases of abuse of elderly people, it’s been reported.

Mr Morrison will announce the inquiry on Sunday, with the decision triggered in part by the Oakden nursing home scandal in South Australia, News Corp Australia reports.

The prime minister could no longer ignore the alarming number of aged care operators “flouting the law and putting lives at risk”.

There was an 177 per cent increase in the number of aged care homes where a serious risk to residents was identified in the last financial year, according to new government figures.

A video showed David Nabulsi (right), 82, being assaulted at Bupa Aged Care Seaforth. His daughter Ayda Celine installed a hidden camera when she suspected abuse.

There was a 292 per cent increase in the number of facilities that refused to comply with rules.

“Walking by these statistics was not possible,” Mr Morrison said. “I want to be satisfied, I want to know how widespread it is.” The Oakden nursing home for elderly people was shut down last year following a damning report by South Australia’s chief psychiatrist highlighting ongoing neglect and mistreatment of residents.

Health Minister Greg Hunt has labelled the Oakden case “one of the greatest disgraces in Australian mental healthcare history”.

The announcement comes after Prakash Paudyal, 35, of Hornsby, was arrested earlier this month after the family of an 82-year-old man living at a Sydney nursing home set up a hidden camera in his room at the Bupa aged care facility in Seaforth.

Prakash Paudyal is accused of assaulting an elderly patient in a horrific video at a Northern Beaches aged care facility.

Dementia patient David Nabulsi, 82, was a resident at Bupa Aged Care Seaforth when his daughter Ayda Celine installed a hidden camera when she suspected abuse. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Paudyal was filmed over a period of four days allegedly assaulting David Nabulsi.

Footage released by police shows Mr Paudyal allegedly hitting Mr Nabulsi, who has dementia, with a shoe, the Manly Daily reports.

There is also footage of Mr Paudyal allegedly shoving and dragging Mr Nabulsi across a bed while Mr Paudyal tries to remove the resident’s clothes.