Stanhope orders nursing home abuse claims probe
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The ACT Government will investigate claims that a growing number of residents in nursing homes are complaining of poor treatment but are afraid to speak out. A Canberra aged care advocacy service says there have been reports of aged and frail residents being left in soiled beds and threatened with eviction if they complain about their treatment. Chief Minister Jon Stanhope says while nursing homes are a Commonwealth responsibility, he will have the allegations examined by his Government’s Elder Abuse Taskforce. “We in fact encourage older people within our community to make complaints about the care they receive, we encourage older people to make complaints, we do it actively, we resource ADACAS [ACT Disability, Aged and Carer Advocacy Service], we resource an elder abuse hotline, we should be taking those complaints seriously,” he said. “I’m not at all relaxed about it, it’s not sanguine, it’s not acceptable even at a state level, we should be pursuing it.” Source : abc.net.au |