Rest home neglect 'all too common'

The case of an elderly rest home patient who had not showered for a year, made public in a Health and Disability Commissioner report yesterday, is not as rare as it seems, the New Zealand Nurses' Organisation (NZNO) says.

The report was one of two released yesterday following complaints from the families of patients at Villa Gardens Home and Hospital in Addington, Christchurch.

The other report detailed the care of an 88-year-old man who suffered massive weight loss - eight kilograms in 10 days - after he transferred to the rest home's hospital wing.

Deputy Commissioner Rae Lamb said improvements had been made over the past year, but a toxic work environment and lack of resources contributed to the situation.

Two staff and the home's owner, Oceania Care Company (previously Eldercare), were censured for breaches of the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights.

NZNO aged care industrial adviser Rob Haultain said the reports painted an "appalling but all too common picture of too few registered nurses with too much work, untrained caregivers and an unsupportive management".

"These two cases are a powerful illustration of the conflict between caring and profit."

She said NZNO heard daily from nurses and caregivers working in rest-homes of inadequate care and sometimes outright neglect of residents because of a lack of staff.

It was hard to tell how much difference reports from the Health and Disability Commissioner made, as they could make recommendations and Oceania could apologise but "unless and until the systemic failures that lead to these horror stories are addressed, then there will be more of them," Ms Haultain said.

Censures included written apologies from the facility manager to the families - something the care manager had already done in regard to the female patient - and a recommendation the care manager review her practice and advise of changes implemented.

Oceania also apologised and was requested to review the progress made in updating its policies and procedures, upskilling staff and management, and report back to the commissioner.

The reports said there had been structural changes at the home since the issues were raised, and ongoing DHB audits were finding systems improving.

- NZPA