National campaign pushes for staff ratios in aged care
The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) launched a national campaign seeking mandated staff ratios for aged care on 12 May, International Nurses’ Day. Around the country, ANMF members and aged care reform advocates stood united at community rallies aiming to put pressure on federal politicians to address chronic understaffing by supporting legislated ratios and […]
Come to the Table: Maggie Beer urges aged care
It’s fresh, seasonal food that gives energy and pleasure to those in aged care, argues renowned celebrity cook Maggie Beer Yet findings of a new study show a decrease in spending on raw food and an increase in spending on supplements in some residential aged care facilities (RACFs). The study published in Nutrition and Dietetics […]
The therapeutic lie: a reflectice account illustrating the potential benefits when nursing an elderly confused patient
Situation: The circumstances involved an extremely anxious, frustrated and distressed man named John, with a severe cognitive impairment. John was an inpatient on a dementia ward in a mental health hospital in the southwest of England, who wanted to use the telephone to contact his long-deceased mother. One of the author’s works as a staff […]
Spotlight on the harsh reality of suicide in Australian nursing homes
Almost 150 Australian nursing home residents took their own lives while in care between 2000 and 2013, a confronting new study has revealed. Nursing home residents who took their own lives most commonly died from hanging (31.9%), falls from height (17%) and plastic bag asphyxia (14.2%). The majority of these residents were male (68.8%) and […]