Placing a loved one into residential aged care is a risky business, according to a report that shows service levels range from caring to cruel.
The Alzheimer's Australia report reflects an industry with little consistency.
There is much to be proud of, but there are facilities that are not providing good care, says Ita Buttrose, Australian of the Year and Alzheimer's Australia president.
The report, released in Melbourne on Tuesday, reflects disturbing accounts from people who say their loved ones have been tied up, subjected to rough treatment, given incorrect medication and given drugs that turned them into zombies.
Ms Buttrose says the residential care accreditation system needs to be revamped to ensure minimum standards are upheld.
The complaints process also needs improvement.
Glenn Rees, CEO Alzheimer's Australia, says there are small things that make life better for people in aged care.
These include good communication, trying to be flexible with mealtimes and having activities that people look forward to.
He says some residential care providers ask their staff to consider if they would want to live in the facility.
"Many facilities try hard to adopt personal-centred care where the staff know the person, know what they are interested in and know something about their grandchildren and their family."
People looking for a home for a loved one should look for a facility that smells fresh.
"I would look at whether residents are just watching television, possibly on medication.
"There should be activity programs and access to a garden.
"Most importantly, people should speak to staff and other family members."
But there are often waiting lists and many decisions are made in an emergency when a carer is no longer able to cope.
Mr Rees says the report supports the findings of a high-level roundtable discussion that highlights a lack of co-ordination and a shortage of dementia and aged care specialists.
Over the years there has been inadequate recognition of the importance of timely diagnosis, dementia care in hospitals and dementia risk reduction," says a report on the Eli Lilly-sponsored discussion.
Professor Henry Brodaty, Director of the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre and chair of the roundtable discussion, says more than 320,000 Australians are living with dementia but there is not a national plan on how to deal with it.
Part of the solution could be a national dementia registry aimed at ensuring patients and their carers do not fall through the cracks.
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