Nursing Home Residents Mental Health

[blondguy]

Hey everybody. I never knew that the Government deemed Nursing Home residents 'not to be patients in the community' therefore nearly all dont qualify for psychological treatment. (dementia excluded)

Here is an excerpt from the SMH article January 7 2017 re the Fairfax Media Investigation.

"Under the rule almost all nursing home residents are denied GP mental
health treatment plans and associated psychological therapies provided
to other Australians under the Better Access Medicare program, because
the government deems residents not to be patients "in the community".

Despite extreme rates of mental illness in nursing homes – with about 82,000 of
176,000 residents estimated to suffer a mental illness (excluding
dementia) or significant mental distress – the Turnbull government reaffirmed the regulatory exclusion late last year"

Lucky Country? Not if you have a mental illness in a nursing home it isnt

Are we still in the dark ages? This is a disgrace and blatantly discriminatory.

your thoughts are most welcome

Paul

[BballJ]

Hi Paul,

That's quite incredible. I know Mental Health assistance in Australia still has ways to go for all age groups but the elderly, especially those in nursing homes being denied what I think should be a basic human right, I think about my grandmother who is not far away from a home but I hope my dad and his siblings would fight it as long as they can because I just don't know if they get a fair shake of things once they go in.

My best,

Jay

[blondguy]

Hi Jay

thankyou for responding and taking the time to read my post.

I found it disturbing too. I dont blame you thinking about your grandmother and family.

Lets hope that nursing home residents can be considered part of the community so they can access mental health care.

Great to have you on the forums Jay. Paul

[geoff]

dear Paul, this is disastrous, and I can well and truly vouch for this when my dear Mum was in a nursing home for at least 13 years, where every year she unfortunately got worse and was highly depressed.
She knew what she was in for once she got there, and was depressed from day one until she passed away, but didn't receive any mental health assistance, so how can a lady with all the charm and grace want to throw the ball around with other residents when all she wanted was to die, because she had no reason to live even though her children and ocassionally grand children visited her, it was pure hell for her, but not one qualified person went to see her except for her doctor, she needed help.
Not only was Mum depressed but it was full of other residents who lost the will to live because they too were all depressed, so it was depressing going to see her, no matter how much I loved her, I went because that's what my wife (ex) insisted upon.
It's sad when you have other residents who are crying out for help but no one pays any attention to them, so they are given a pill to quiten them down and go to sleep, that's not a life, and that's not how we should treat them, and remember some or most of these people may have entered the nursing home already suffering from depression.
We used to take Mum out but her reaction was just a pretence to how she was feeling, so what has now happened is that the government have just pushed these people aside, wishing that they didn't have to pay for the extra costs to contribute for keeping them alive.
If only euthanasia was made legal I would help Mum not to have to suffer any longer, and I would do it with all my love to safe her from misery, because I loved her. Geoff.

[gld]

Hi,

What the hell is wrong with it everything!

I feel the people running the country lose some a grip on what goes on in the real world.

If anything people in residential communities need more assistance with mental health. Wish some of them could spend some time talking to some of Australian Citizens living in this environment and then make decisions like this.

A couple of things i have noticed spending time with people in this type of environment has been [grief and loss].

Even though they have there own space they have been moved out of a place they have lived in for years, the shops they have visited weekly/daily have changed so Beth their hairdresser is not there for a style and chat. In some cases people have had their licences and cars taken away from them so there independence and freedom has changed drastically. Someone who has neighbours to visits and find it hard to make friends have no one.

They have contributed to taxes during their lives so it is a natural thing to allow them to access benefits that is out there for other Australian Citizens.

Gen.

[kanga_brumby]

My buddy Paul what can I say. I am in a nursing home, I have seen it first hand. Plus the times I personally requested to see a GP. Then waited a couple of days to have to ask again and again. Two weeks after the first request I see a GP. I have asked to see a mental health worker. Over a month ago guess what( this is a hard one) you got it still waiting. I am supposed to be in one of the better old age care facilities here. The neglect I see and have experienced. It's a farce.

Kanga

[blondguy]

Dear Geoff..Thankyou for being here....Your poor mum and what she went through...may she rest in peace x

When I read the Fairfax article that 'nursing home residents are not considered 'part of the general community' I felt sick to my stomach. They dont even get basic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help them cope.

Not proud to be an Australian on this disgraceful exclusion from the Federal Govt/Medicare.

This is a disgrace and blatantly discriminatory. Paul

[blondguy]

* Correction/typo..Excuse I...

' the government deems residents not to be patients "in the community".

[blondguy]

Hi Gen, Thankyou for your take on shameful situation. Im still shaking my head in disbelief that mental illness isnt included for treatment for patients in nursing homes.

Gen Said: "They have contributed to taxes during their lives so it is a natural
thing to allow them to access benefits that is out there for other
Australian Citizens"

Me thinks we should be making some serious noise on this one. I found a word for this 'exclusion of patients with mental illnesses in nursing homes'

'UnAustralian. Thanks again Gen. My Best. Paul

[gld]

Hi Blondguy [Paul],

Thanks for putting this post up and others posting.

Australian Government could do a lot of things for people in these communities. In Holland students live in the communities while studying for so many hours a week spending time with residents and making their lives more interesting.

I feel this sort of thing could be structured here and it could be a win win for all. It may not get them the mental health plans from the government but just imagine the better well being improvement it could have.

Government could save money with youth housing, boost help in communities and maybe be able to spend money they save on the health needs our seniors deserve or they may not have a big need for it. Everyone needs to have purpose and interest in their lives.

Have read and seen different things that could improve our elder/disabled citizens from being put in these places that are so dark and dank.

Australia has made big improvements to these places but have a long way to go.

Keep up the great work Paul.

Gen

PS Sorry if i got off the subject Guys/Gals