Do we need a better way to rate aged care facilities?
This week there’s been a lot of discussion in the media about the rates of malnutrition, pressure sores and other medical issues in our aged care homes and why these figures are not available to the public.
The fact is most states don’t require this clinical data to be collected – a flaw with the current system.
There is good news for residents and their families however.
The Government’s new Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission (ACQSC) starts 1 January 2019 and will see performance ratings against quality standards for aged care homes made available to the public for the first time.
This includes data on clinical outcomes including pressure sores, malnutrition and physical restraint.
Improving outcomes for residents
It is always going to be difficult for providers to have zero cases of these incidents.
I know from experience that residents are often frail with a number of chronic conditions. This puts them at much greater risk of falls, unplanned weight loss and multiple medication use.
But research has shown that publishing this kind of data does improve outcomes for residents – and more transparency can only be a good thing.
At agedcare101, we have found the best way for families to make a well-informed decision is to use a wide range of sources to find the right facility.
As we have covered, the AACQA does provide consumer experience reports for aged care homes on its website here.
These are real comments from residents and their families on the care they are receiving – and worth a look if you are considering aged care.
You can also find more information on agedcare101 here.
Credit: 9 News.
