Sunday Tasmanian 24 June 2007
ALLEGATIONS: Karingal Home for the Aged in Devonport.
By GILL VOWLES
ELDERLY residents of a Devonport nursing home are being subjected to physical and psychological abuse, according to their carers. The allegations include an instance where a male nurse grabbed an elderly woman by the cheeks of her bottom and made her ‘‘talk
through her a...’’.
A nurse, who claims he was sacked by the Karingal Home for the Aged after telling another staff member he was going to lodge an official complaint, says what he saw turned his stomach. Mr X’s allegations were verified by several people who would not be identified in any way because of fears of repercussions for them or their family members.
They described Karingal, a non-government care facility, as a horror home ruled by fear and deceit. Karingal’s management has emphatically denied the claims. Carers cite examples of neglect, rough treatment and psychological abuse. The allegations include:
An instance where a frail elderly resident was ‘‘thrown into a chair’’.
Cases of residents being sworn and screamed at and ridiculed for their clothes and appearance.
Residents being sedated so early they would be falling asleep at meal times.
A female resident being slapped on the buttocks.
FROM next month it is compulsory for all nursing home staff to report any suspicion of abuse within 24 hours. But aged-care experts say introducing mandatory reporting is unlikely to reduce the incidence of elder abuse. There are no accurate statistics, but it is estimated there are as many as 400,000 cases of unreported abuse in Australia each year.
In Tasmania alone it is estimated 12,000 elderly people experience abuse — either physical, sexual, financial or psychological — each year.
An elderly person was quoted as saying:
‘‘I’d rather wander off in the bush, die and get eaten by devils than end my days
in a place like that’’
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