Elder Care: Rest-Home Residents Have to Go Today (New Zealand)

Rest home residents have to go today
5:00AM Friday July 11, 2008
By Alanah May Eriksen and Craig Borley

Residents of disgraced rest home Belhaven, where an elderly woman's mouth was taped shut, will have to move out by today.
The Auckland District Health Board announced yesterday that it had stripped the Epsom facility of its contract because of huge failings in patient care.
Age Concern has criticised the "unseemly haste" in removing the residents at only 24 hours' notice.

The decision was based on a draft Ministry of Health report and on recommendations of a temporary manager appointed by the DHB last week after a picture of the gagged woman - taken by a tradesman - was published in a Sunday newspaper.

DHB chief planning and funding officer Denis Jury said the manager made daily reports to the health board on the running of the rest home.

Belhaven lacked quality management systems, was unable to ensure clinical and social support for residents and had weak ongoing cleaning and food systems in place.
"In terms of having systems in process to ensure quality and safety and an appropriate standard of care for the residents, the gap between where they are now and where they need to be is big," Dr Jury said.

"We don't think that can be bridged by the current owners in an appropriate time frame.

A geriatrician was also sent to the rest home to assess each resident. One man had to be admitted to hospital overnight and did not return to Belhaven as he required a level of care it was unable to provide.

Findings from a separate ministry investigation are due to be released in a few days. A report will decide if Belhaven is allowed to continue operating.

But Age Concern chief executive Ann Martin said a "managed transition out of Belhaven" would have been better for everyone.

"The safety of vulnerable older people is a paramount concern. Age Concern works to combat elder abuse wherever it occurs and we welcome moves, however belated, to keep the Belhaven residents safe.

"However, it might be far better for the vulnerable senior residents to be kept safe in the place they regard as their home, and their carers given additional assistance and oversight, rather than moved with such unseemly haste."

Health Minister David Cunliffe said the mouth-taping incident was not the sole basis of the DHB's decision - an unannounced ministry inspection last week threw up further problems at Belhaven.

Abridged
SOURCE: NZ Herald
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