Shocking stories heard in the Aged Care Royal Commission highlight the inadequacy of conventional aged care facilities in providing safe and quality care for our frail elderly.
It still hurts whenever Brisbane resident Gloria Gough recalls what her 96 year-old mother Suzanne Paruit-Chauvin endured after going through four nursing homes for respite care.
Sydney University aged care and dementia expert Associate Professor Lee-Fay Low says Australia is a long way from providing a satisfactory level of aged care as underscored in the thousands of complaints received by the aged care royal commission.
A common complaint by the providers is the lack of government funding.
With an average hourly pay between $20 to $25 dollars, aged care workers are struggling to meet the complex needs of nursing home residents.
When aged care veteran Natasha Chadwick thought about her own mother’s future, she decided to design a facility like no other.
What she came up with was a community-focused Microtown where residents and neighbours in the area mingle together.
Natasha Chadwick attributes Microtown’s relaxed atmosphere to the community environment residents live in and a values-based recruitment approach.
