ElderWeb

The Australian government is expecting a cash surplus of $1.5 billion in 2001-02, the fifth surplus in a row and the longest run of cash surpluses in almost 30 years. One response to this surplus are a number of initiatives targeted at seniors. The new budget includes a payment of $300 for people of Age Pension age who receive income support or are outside the taxation and social security system, an increase in the effective tax-free threshold for people of Age Pension age, an increase in income thresholds for Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, and extension of the telephone allowance and other concessions to all holders of a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. In addition superannuation assets will be exempted from social security means tests for people aged between 55 years and the Age Pension age, and a payment of $25,000 will be made to Australian Defence Force Prisoners of War of the Japanese, civilian internees and detainees of the Japanese or their surviving spouses.

Researchers report in the November issue of Archives of Neurology that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs may help prevent Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Previous research has suggested that anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen may cut Alzheimer's risk, but researchers were not sure how high a dose was necessary to produce the desired effects. Dr. G. Anthony Broe led a group of researchers at the University of Sydney who studied more than 600 men and women age 75 and older and found that even low doses of the drugs seemed to ward off Alzheimer's. The researchers are uncertain why aspirin and similar drugs might protect against Alzheimer's. The study's authors speculate that the drugs' heart benefits may offer an explanation, noting that low doses of aspirin are already known to help prevent heart disease. Aspirin and similar drugs improve blood flow to the heart and may improve the function of cells lining blood vessels.

- Provided by Kimberly Smith

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that two Sydney homes posed an "immediate and severe risk" to residents. The Minister of Aged Care, Mrs Bronwyn Bishop, announced that spot checks of nursing homes would be stepped up and said the Federal Budget had provided extra money to expand her department's investigation capacity. But the Opposition spokesman on Aged Care, Senator Chris Evans, released a statement claiming inconsistencies by Mrs Bishop, the department and the agency on whether spot-checks of homes were being conducted.

Mrs Bishop had told Parliament in August last year that spot-checks were being done, but subsequent answers from the agency had revealed that none had been done for two years. Spot-checks had begun in earnest with the February controversy over kerosene baths at the Riverside Nursing Home in Melbourne.

Afterward, Mrs Bishop, who previously has defended the Government's policy of self-regulation, said her department would now be able to require the removal of nursing home executives who had been convicted of an indictable offence, were of unsound mind or had been bankrupt. Under existing rules, nursing home owners are not automatically disqualified from holding a provider's licence if they have been convicted of an indictable offence.

The Cabinet decided to allow the Department of Health and Aged Care to give nursing home residents and their relatives fair warning if a nursing home was going to have its licence to operate revoked or if it was likely to be closed, and the Commonwealth Ombudsman issued a report on the nursing home inspection process. This report found numerous problems with the system, like failure to pursue systemic complaints, lack of clarity about who has responsibility for complaints and reviews, lack of objectivity and impartiality, no good process for dealing with persons who wish to remain anonymous, whistleblowers may not be able to make a complaint in good faith and without fear of victimization in the workplace, inspections are not conducted without notice where the matters alleged are serious, and generally poor record keeping may be symptomatic of a lack of training of staff and/or lack of attention to detail and supervision.

- submitted by Kimberley Smith

A nursing home scandal is brewing in Australia. The Riverside Nursing Home was closed this week by the Aged Care Minister and its 57 residents were ordered to moved out. Among other abuses, a dying resident was given a kerosene bath to treat scabies, soiled dressings were left in bathrooms, soiled bandages and towels were washed with the residents' laundry, and urine-stained foam mattress overlays were stored with clean linen. One resident had a broken arm which had been improperly treated, and there were no records to indicate how the arm had gotten broken in the first place.

The closure has stirred up a storm of controversy from observers who say the government knew of the abuses some time back, but didn't move quickly enough to deal with them. Some family members are furious that the residents were subjected to the trauma of a move, rather than having the facility's management replaced. To make things worse, there is no place for the residents to go, since there is a shortage of empty nursing home beds. The transferred residents are staying temporarily in St Vincent's Hospital, and will be subjected to yet another move when a nursing home bed is found for them. In the meantime, about 20 residents have refused to leave the nursing home, and Riverside's management announced their intention to take court action to have the closure overturned.

Australia is mobilizing a "Grey Army." Federal Minister for Aged Care Bronwyn Bishop saluted mature-aged Australian workers at the launch of the Grey Army in Sydney. This army is an umbrella organization providing corporate identity for about 2,000 service providers across the nation. It is made up of displaced older workers who do work in the homes of older Australians, including maintenance, household chores and other tasks.