Aged Care- I am still crying!, page-56

There is obviously an expectation that the aged in their twilight years are cared for in for profit aged care facilities as if they were at home cared for by the extended family and anything short of that is considered unacceptable.

Perhaps we should think more in terms of local community with smaller aged care homes closely connected to the occupants families, doctors and supporting health services with a strong community volunteer force. After all, they say that charity begins at home and the next best thing to that, IMO, is that charity begins in the local community.

From my limited experience of visiting family and neighbours in aged care, I would say that the most significant issue is. the
aged person's forced detachment from their family and community and, of course, those families and local communities have
the best opportunity to ensure that good quality care , whether that be physical, medical, psychological or social, is delivered to the aged care occupant.

The corporatisation of these facilities means ultimately that keen business principles will be applies. such as cost minimisation,
profit maximisation will be given priority to the occupant's human needs.

It is interesting to note that 4 corners, so far, has only dealt with occupants who receive the aged pension and major Government subsidies and no mention of the posh upmarket millionaire aged care 5 star establishments and my question is:


"If throwing extra money at aged care will improve the delivered services then why do families settle with depositing the
$half million deposit# (Grans house) to the aged care facility & 85% of Gran's pension rather than simply pay an extra $20K a year from Gran's savings and/or house and disregard inheritance should Gran outlive the value of her house in aged care?"

# The will beneficiaries get back the. $half mil when he/she passes