Govt beefs up nursing home charter

NURSING homes must respect residents’ religion, customs and sexuality under a new Charter of Rights to be launched by the Federal Government today.

Residents will have the right to “live without abuse and neglect’’ and to “complain free of reprisal’’, following a string of scandals that led to the Royal Commission into aged care abuse.

The charter – to be signed by every nursing home and resident by the end of this year – spells out the rights of residents to “safe and high quality care and services’’.

Residents have the right to “have my identity, culture and diversity valued and supported’’.

The simplified 14-point charter does not mention religion, but it is detailed in an explanatory memorandum and outlined in new quality standards.

“Care recipients have the right to be treated in a way that values them as a person,’’ the memorandum state. “This includes respect for their culture, values, beliefs, religion, spirituality and sexuality.’’

The right to practise a religion is included in new Health Department regulations for aged care, following an outcry when it was revealed it had been left out of a draft charter last year.

The final charter has also been changed to give residents the right to make decisions about their care, personal and social life, “including where the choices involve personal risk’’.

The change is significant because it gives residents the right to refuse treatment on safety grounds – including being restrained or sedated, or forced to eat pureed food, against their wishes.

It also gives residents the right to “independence’’, and to “complain free from reprisal’’.

Federal Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt said aged care providers would have to provide a personally signed copy of the charter to every resident, who would co-sign or ask someone to co-sign on their behalf.

“We’re standing up for our most vulnerable senior Australians and we won’t tolerate anything less,’’ he said yesterday. “Being treated with dignity and living without abuse and neglect are among the top tiers of the new charter.

“The co-signing makes providers’ commitments and obligations under the charter clear to clients, and ensures that clients are aware of their rights.’’

Mr Wyatt said the new charter would replace and strengthen four previous charters covering different aspects of aged care.