‘Premium’ rest home rooms — the rules
Dennis now has late-stage dementia after being first diagnosed in 2011, aged 62. He was admitted to Northbridge’s 15-room dementia wing in January 2017, where he stayed for three months. All rooms in the wing had an en suite, and Schumann said when signing the contract she was only told of a charge of $400 a month “for the bathroom”.
When she realised the home hadn’t properly recorded consent for the charge in the admission agreement, she complained to Waitemata¯ DHB. It substantiated the complaint and told her Northbridge If no standard rooms are available a new resident can be charged for a premium room only if occupancy at the facility is 90 per cent or more, and it has found another facility within 10km with standard rooms available.
If the above conditions aren’t met the provider must admit the resident and not charge extra for a premium room. would change its agreements.
“It is acknowledged that many new facilities are applying premium room charges to their rooms,” the DHB told her. “[We] will work with all Waitemata¯ facilities to ensure they have a full understanding of their obligation.”
Last October, Northbridge Lifecare Trust emailed Schumann to say it would refund $1200 on a “without prejudice” basis.
James Jordan, director of the notfor-profit trust, said he was unable to comment on her case: “I confirm we have not had any other issues with premium room rates.”