NEWS Age-old problem at RDH

THERE are 21 high-need seniors living in Royal Darwin Hospital who are better off in nursing homes, according to Council on the Ageing NT chief executive Sue Shearer.

Ms Shearer said the problem was there just were not enough bed spaces in the NT for seniors with very high needs – so they were forced to stay at RDH, taking beds better suited to other patients.

Ms Shearer said lower needs seniors who had no assets to sell to buy a spot in a home were waiting about six months to get into a public place.

“There was an 18-month wait for Territorians to get into a Commonwealth nursing home,” she said.

“I think they’ve got that down to six months, but we want it down to three months.”

Ms Shearer said The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety would shine a light on part of these issues – but the NT remained behind much of Australia.

Her comments come after the release of the Australian Institute of Health and Wel- fare’s Government Spending on Aged Care web report, which shows the NT had the highest rate of government expenditure on home care and support in the nation – coughing up $1616 per person in the target population, well above the national average of $1263.

However, the Government spends just $1315 on residential care in the NT for each person in the target population – less than half of the national average of $3077.

Australian Medical Association NT president Dr Rob Parker said unfortunately a guaranteed spot in a Territory nursing home came down to what people could afford.

“People need a graded level of accommodation to suit their level of ability, and there’s a few places in Darwin like that,” Dr Parker said.

“Obviously, we need more aged care spaces to free up beds at Royal Darwin Hospital.”

Dr Parker said given the ageing population, the issue of elderly people “bed blocking” at RDH would grow – which was why it needed action now.

He was optimistic the Royal Commission would help spark action.