Government-owned aged care home residents had fewer emergency department presentations and unplanned hospitalisations than those living in for-profit and not-for-profit facilities, a new study has revealed.
In response to the findings, authors argue that a gradual decline in the number of government-owned and not-for-profit nursing homes in Australia, in favour of for-profit companies, could see higher rates of hospitalisations among older Australians.
The study examined ED presentations and unplanned hospital admissions among more than 200,000 long-term care facility patients in the Registry of Senior Australians national cohort (2013-18). Of the 205,079 residents studied, 8,961 (4.4%) lived in government-owned facilities, 105,144 (51.3%) in not-for-profit homes, and 90,974 (44.4%) in for-profit homes.
Published In the British Medical Journal BMJOpen, the study compared different nursing home ownership models while also examining the influence that geographic location may have on resident outcomes.
It found government-owned aged care home residents had fewer hospital-related events, with the differences most evident in Australia’s inner-regional areas.
Residents in government-owned homes had a lower emergency department presentation risk than residents in not-for-profit homes. Similar observations were made for unplanned hospitalisations and days spent in hospital, and across various regions.
Senior author Professor Maria Inacio, who heads the Registry of Senior Australians Research Centre (ROSA) and the Flinders Ageing Alliance at Flinders University, says ongoing monitoring of aged care home ownership is vital because of its significant potential impact and consequences on residents’ outcomes.
“Findings from this study agree with the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety investigations about the influence of aged care homes ownership on the quality and outcomes of individuals in these facilities,” says Professor Inacio.
Prior research also shows that for-profit providers are less likely to be compliant with sector requirements, such as mandatory care minutes.
“Our work confirms the need for financial, quality, and social accountability monitoring of aged care home integration given their significant influence on resident outcomes,” Dr Rahja says.
Read the full paper here
