AGED CARE
Your Questions Answered

Reverend Herbert talks to Peace of Mind about the maze that is Aged Care....

Firstly Reverend Herbert, what is Uniting Care?
UnitingCare is the brand name for all the community service activities of the Uniting Church across Australia. We provide services in aged care, childcare, disability, homeless persons, as well as counselling and mediation services, housing etc.

Do you believe the general population is unaware or ill informed about Aged Care?
Unfortunately, UnitingCare is not a very well known brand name, despite our size. For example, most Australians are well aware of the Salvation Army and what it does, but we are one of Australia’s best kept secrets.
The reason is partly because we have in the past used a variety of names, Wesley Mission, Burnside, Unifam etc. By putting all our brands together we are hoping to get a higher profile.

Why should people try to become more informed?
Firstly, because they may be able to use one of our services. Also, they may want to support us. We are the largest provider of residential aged care services in NSW.

Are there other options available before going into a retirement village or home?
People should only move into a retirement village, hostel or nursing home when that is the best option for them. They should carefully consider the issues and talk to people they trust about it.

What should people look for in a retirement village, hostel or nursing home?
In a retirement village they need to consider issues of cost. They need to be sure it is located in the best place for them. They need to get good advice about any legal documentation. In regard to hostels, they can be a very good option for frail aged people who are reasonably independent, but cannot any longer live on their own. However, again, they should be checked out before making a final decision. As for nursing homes, most people entering them have reached a point in their life where it is hard for them to make their own decisions. However, family members should make sure that a nursing home is of good standard. They can check the nursing home’s record of accreditation, and speak to the Director of Nursing.
If people are unhappy about some issues when they move in, they should seek to use the complaints system, or continue to look around for alternatives and make a change for their relative.

Do you believe that we are catering enough for our aging population?
Yes and no. The main problem with current Federal Government policy is that it has conflicting policy aims. For example, it encourages people to stay in their own homes (and that is good) but at the same time the current financial arrangements do not encourage the development of high care facilities, i.e. nursing homes. Because of this mismatch of policy we are seeing the development of a lot of how care facilities (hostels) because operators can charge accommodation bonds for hostels but not for nursing homes.
To encourage the development of more nursing home beds, a new policy direction is needed. The Government has handed out a lot of nursing home bed licences, but because of the financial problems, few have led to
actual places.

The laws for retirement villages, nursing homes and so on are due to change in 2008, do you feel the industry will be ready for this change?
I think it will be difficult for the industry to meet this target. In UnitingCare we are working hard to do so but because of what I said above, we may have to reduce the number of nursing home places we provide. Recently we sold a number of nursing home licences, and that was a first for us.

Apart from the emotional issues of putting a loved one into Care, what else should people be prepared for?
Families should make sure that they have a good visiting schedule. It is important that the person in the
nursing home/hostel doesn’t feel isolated.

Does one’s financial situation have much bearing on the care one would receive in the aged care system?
It shouldn’t. The services we provide in Uniting Care are the same whether people have paid an accommodation bond or whether they have been admitted as a concessional resident.

Are there special departments or services for the aged with disabilities and mental health problems?
Some facilities do provide special expertise in providing care for people with special issues.

We live in an aging population; do you feel the industry as a whole will be able to cope with the demand in years to come?
Yes, as long as Government policy is correctly organised. There is a certain amount of scaremongering about this issue, especially by politicians. Compared to most western nations, Australia is a young country and we will take nearly 40 years to reach the same aged profile as some European countries currently have. They are coping and so will we.

What would be the most commonly asked question you would be asked in your role as the Executive Director and Manager of one of the Homes?
People are always wanting to know the process of getting a relative into a nursing home. I always direct them to the ACAT (Aged Care Assessment Team) in their area.

CONTACTS
UnitingCare NSW: Reverend Harry Herbert (Executive Director)