Media Releases > Press Articles 2002

Take action on nursing home entry problems

Fifty-Plus News, April 2002, p4; similar article in Australian Senior, April 2002, p7, and Sunshine Coast Seniors Newspaper May 2002

COTA is calling on older Australians who have been affected by problems with entry into residential aged care to raise the issue with the Government.

Denys Correll, national executive director of COTA (Australia) has taken up the issue on behalf of many older Australians and their families who have been badly affected by complex legal and financial problems at a time when the emotional issues of leaving home and entering aged care are being faced.

"On their behalf, I have called for simplified entry procedures into aged care facilities" said Mr Correll.

"At the moment people have to either put their names down, or apply for entry into multiple facilities in order to be considered for a bed. All require complex admission forms to be completed , with complicated financial and personal details to be supplied. Mr Corell said that some facilities require a statutory declaration, which takes time and energy to organise. "There is no evidence to suggest that different, or deliberately incorrect information would be given if no statutory declaration was required, but plenty of evidence to say time and effort would be saved."

Other issues Mr Corell raised in his submission to the government's Aged Care Working Group included:

• Lack of independent legal and financial advice before entry
• Currently there is no requirement that independent advice is provided before signing of resident and bond agreements
• Residents are signing agreements when they do not have testamentary capacity
• Accommodation Bond interest rates on overdue bonds are too high and should be the same as applied to overdue accommodation charge payments (double the lower deeming rate)
• Accruing of interest from day one is unreasonable
• Need for uniformity in application processes.

Mr Correll urged people who have been involved in such procedures, or who think they may have to arrange residential care soon, to raise these issues with the Government and lend their support to COTA's campaign.