The disability sector should be included in the Royal Commission into aged care, says Omnicare Alliance CEO Raymond Gouck.
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced a thorough investigation of the aged care industry. This follows a spate of widely publicised allegations of abuse by workers looking after elderly clients in residential facilities.
Mid-North Coast not-for-profit organisation Omnicare provides day respite and home-based care services to clients who are aged, or who live with disability or dementia.
Mr Gouck, joint-CEO with responsibility for compliance, funding and social enterprise, says the Royal Commission’s focus will be primarily on residential aged care. However, he says it’s important to look at all aspects of the care sector.
It’s vital also that the practices in home and centre-based services undergo scrutiny. This is about the lives and dignity of some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
- Raymond Gouck, Omnicare CEO
“There’s clearly a lot of suspicion and distrust of the care service industry, because of the abusive actions of a minority of individual employees in residential care facilities,” Mr Gouck says.
“I welcome the government’s intervention. It’s important to stamp out heartless behaviour and to give the public confidence in the organisations, companies and individuals that provide aged and/or disability services.
“It’s vital also that the practices in home and centre-based services undergo scrutiny. This is about the lives and dignity of some of the most vulnerable people in our society.”
Mr Gouck says much of the alleged abuse has resulted from a failure to understand issues of ageing, particularly dementia. He says there is often similar ignorance of disability.
“Omnicare has developed a Montessori-based approach to dementia care which is equally relevant to disability care,” he says.
“It centres on treating each client as an individual, with a strong emphasis on clients’ abilities, interests and needs.
“Our support workers, who are at the front line of our services, undergo training to understand people living with dementia and to implement strategies to manage challenges they face when interacting with clients.”
Omnicare is rolling out similar training for staff supporting clients with disabilities.
Mr Gouck says the Royal Commission will be a wake-up call for many service providers, who need to ensure they allocate adequate resources to quality staff selection and training as well as robust control measures so clients and their loved ones can be reassured that care and support come first.
