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Aged Care

Posted By this is stupid

"Aged Care"

About: Carnarvon Hospital

(as a relative),

It makes me feel extremely stressed each time I go in there and see in my opinion, the third world conditions.

To me the building is third world, crumbling and cracked on the outside. Several people crammed into a room, no privacy or security.  Men and women share the same ablutions.  People are yelling, others wandering around going through residents things. The air-conditioning is unreliable (North West WA), the outside door has no fly-screen.  There are no regular activities, no physio or OT.  In my opinion, the whole place is just horrible.  

Carnarvon has been promised a new purpose built Aged Care Centre since the 1980s.

The last time we got as far as the planning stage, the site for the new facility was also cleared.  Then change of government and this is no longer happening.

Long time elderly residents of our town, who have spent a considerable amount of their lives building this town,  are being sent away to Aged Care facilities in other locations away from family and friends.  I believe this is unacceptable! 

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Responses

Response from Michele Young, REOC Lead, Executive Services, WACHS-Midwest 5 years ago
Michele Young
REOC Lead, Executive Services,
WACHS-Midwest

Submitted on 15/03/2019 at 11:23 AM
Published on Care Opinion at 11:26 AM

picture of Michele Young

Dear this is stupid

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience on Patient Opinion. I acknowledge the concerns you have raised. The WA Country Health Service (WACHS) currently operates a Residential Aged Care facility with 16 beds at Carnarvon Hospital. WACHS took on the operation of aged care after the private provider in town closed in 2007 to ensure this important service remained available. It is acknowledged that the current facility is ageing and there are plans to build a 38 bed Residential Aged Care facility subject to adequate funding being made available. WACHS would very much like to see this happen and is continuing to seek funding from multiple avenues to try and make this a reality.

In the interim, a number of improvements are being made to the current facility including new equipment, purchasing replacement communal furniture and painting the communal areas with dementia friendly colours. As it is important for the outside to be accessible for the residents, air curtains are being installed on the doors that transition out to the veranda where the residents like to spend a lot of their time.

In regards to your concerns regarding the lack of activities, occupational and physiotherapy services are provided to the residents as required based on a referral from the medical and nursing team. Carnarvon Hospital is always looking for volunteers who would like to assist to increase activities. We completely agree that more activities would benefit our residents. At present, there is a school group who comes and spends time with the residents as well as other individuals who kindly donate their time when available to come and visit or play an instrument. There are a number of different ways that community members can volunteer.

I have shared your experience with the Carnarvon Hospital Operations Manager who would welcome the opportunity to discuss your experience in greater detail. We would be very grateful if you could please contact us directly. Tamara Sweeney, Operations Manager Gascoyne can be contacted on 9941 0300 or Tamara.Sweeney@health.wa.gov.au or alternatively, you can contact myself on 9956 8695 or Michele.Young@health.wa.gov.au. Your call would be very welcome.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your advocacy for a new Residential Aged Care facility with increased beds and I hope to hear from you soon.

Kind regards

Michele

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