Aged care sector offered free education sessions

An organisation that provides information and advocacy support to older people, their families and representatives in Victoria is urging service providers to take advantage of its free education sessions, tailored to enhance the knowledge and skills of professionals in the aged care sector. Elder Rights Advocacy (ERA) said the information in its sessions would enable aged care staff to better understand and protect the rights of older people in their care.

Aged care services must stay up to date with best practices and regulations to ensure the highest level of care and support for older people. ERA’s education programs have been designed to address this need and empower professionals with the tools and knowledge necessary to navigate the complex landscape of elder rights.

The education sessions cover a wide range of topics particularly relevant to aged care service providers, with participants gaining a comprehensive understanding of their obligations, including the prevention of elder abuse and neglect. Person-centred care also focuses on promoting dignity, autonomy and respect for older people.

Aged care professionals will learn effective communication strategies to engage with older people, fostering meaningful relationships and better meeting their individual needs.

Participants will also be equipped with the skills to identify signs of elder abuse and respond appropriately, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of older people. Around 39.2% of people living in Australian aged care facilities experience elder abuse in the form of neglect, emotional abuse or physical abuse, according to experimental estimates by the Office of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.¹

“Arming service providers with information on the critical issues affecting residents’ lives, including elder abuse, is the aim,” said Debra Nicholl, CEO of Elder Rights Advocacy. “We must continue to create an environment where family and staff are fully aware of the warning signs, especially regarding elder abuse. We must minimise risk as a priority.”

The Know Your Aged Care Rights information sessions are targeted at older people seeking or receiving aged care services in their own home or in a residential aged care home. These sessions provide a range of information on topics related to advocacy and aged care, including:

• the Charter of Aged Care Rights
• the role of advocacy in supporting older people to access and interact with the aged care system
• how advocacy can support people who are unhappy with their aged care services.
   

The organisation’s experienced and professional advocates deliver engaging and interactive sessions, sharing practical insights and real-life scenarios.

“By empowering older people and aged care professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to uphold elder rights, we are working towards a future where older adults receive the highest quality of care and support,” Nicholl said.

According to Polly Devine, CEO of Moyola Aged Care, the initial need for ERA education programs within Moyola stemmed from a resident who had behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) that were a disadvantage for the resident and a challenge for staff. “The implementation of ERA education sessions has created a balance between the delivery of clinical care and promoting the dignity of choice at Moyola,” Devine said.

Moreover, Devine said that upon completing the training, staff reported feeling more empowered to report elder abuse and better equipped to recognise it. “ERA education around elder abuse is one of the most pertinent topics covered by the program. The ERA education on elder abuse has created positive reform at the industry and local level.

“Through arming staff, residents and families with information regarding human rights and elder abuse we are enabling discussions on everyday instances of elder abuse that may otherwise go unnoticed,” she said.

“It’s so beneficial to providers because the program enables organisations to look inwards and identify how they can create incremental changes that break patterns of elder abuse.”

For more information about Elder Rights Advocacy’s education programs for aged care service providers, visit https://elderrights.org.au/resources/.

_{1. https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/news-and-media/elder-abuse-australian-aged-care-facilities}

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