‘Hours in soiled clothes’: Aged care horrors exposed

No shower for weeks and being denied timely medical care are among tens of thousands of Australian aged care horror stories.

Elderly Sydney resident Margaret Duckett at her home, has first-hand experience of issues facing older Australians needed aged care support. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Exclusive: More than 100 reports a day have been lodged by older Australians about their treatment in aged-care homes and providers, and at the hands of their own family members.

The 36,900 reports to the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) over the past 12 months give a heartbreaking insight into how our most vulnerable are being treated.

The complaints include being left sitting in soiled clothing for hours, denied timely medical care for festering wounds, and in one case an elderly person went without a shower for four weeks because their provider could not find two staff to assist.

More than half the reports involved those with home care package – including some paying for services they did not receive, while a third related to residential care homes.

Other people were desperate for help after being exploited by greedy relatives, the OPAN annual Presenting Issues report found.

“Everyone deserves respect and dignity as they age – but sadly, our rights are eroded as we get older,” OPAN CEO Craig Gear said

OPAN's chief executive Craig Gear.

Mr Gear said he hoped the report would be used to help inform the new human rights-based Aged Care Act, which was currently being drafted.

He said more face-to-face support for older people accessing care was needed, as well as more funding for home packages to prevent people being forced into residential homes.

The report found problems in residential aged care included older people having a lack of choice about when to shower and eat, and in some circumstances not being allowed to leave the property at all. The report highlighted one incident where an older person waited five days for treatment for a cut that went down to the bone, while another claimed they were denied a shower for four weeks.

Mr Gear said some providers were making decisions on behalf of an older person, or prioritising the decisions of family members instead of the individual’s preferences.

Issues with home care exposed by the report included being charged for services not delivered and agencies not returning calls.

Margaret Duckett knows first-hand about failures of the home care system.

The 75-year-old was granted funding for a level two home care package in January, so she could pay for help to allow her to stay in her Sydney home.

Elderly Sydney resident Margaret Duckett knows first-hand about failures of the home care system. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

It took her three months to find an agency who would manage the services she wanted. Six months on she has had a cleaner and a gardener come once – and no health support at all.

“I’ve had to pay for my own care out of my own pocket for the past six months because they have not been able to find me a physio or a podiatrist,” Ms Duckett said.

“But they’ve invoiced me for their management fees every single month.”

She has decided to withdraw from the agency and self-manage, despite struggling with a multitude of health issues.

“You need to have enough energy and sheer guts to fight the system for what you want,” Ms Duckett said.

“When you are not well it’s much easier to think, ‘Oh s***, I will accept this, it’s not what I want but at least it’s something’.”

To make a report or seek help call OPAN on 1800 700 600 or visit opan.org.au.

Originally published as ‘Hours in soiled clothes’: Aged care horrors exposed