Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says the extension of his office's mandate is major. Photo / Paul Taylor
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier says the extension of his office's mandate is major. Photo / Paul Taylor
Strengthened monitoring of dementia units needs to be followed by increased oversight of all aged-care facilities, Grey Power says.
The Office of the Ombudsman will have the power to randomly inspect about 180 privately-run dementia facilities, in changes gazetted by Justice Minister Andrew Little.
The Herald has recently reported cases where elderly residents were strapped to chairs all day with minimal movement of repositioning.
Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier said his team would look out for those sorts of incidents. They will also begin monitoring detainees in court cells - opening up about 60 detention facilities to inspections.
"This is a big opening of the door. This will shine a light," Boshier said.
Grey Power president Mac Welch welcomed the change, something his organisation had been pressing for.
"We are very pleased with that announcement. We unfortunately have had – and there was a case reported in your paper recently – some pretty upsetting things happen. And we think there needs to be closer scrutiny of any aged-care facility. Not just the dementia units. Any aged-care facility.
"Dementia patients can't sort the situation themselves, because of their circumstances. And a lot of them haven't got regular family visitors that will take up their case on their behalf."
Welch said Grey Power's health portfolio holder heard about similar cases "on a regular basis", and that underlined the need for an Aged Care Commissioner. That was Labour policy going into the election but has not yet been acted upon.
Justice Minister Andrew Little wants the changes to ensure facilities have strong procedures and policies in place. Photo / George Novak
Changes published yesterday in the Government Gazette included clarifying that monitoring of people detained in privately-run aged-care facilities is the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman.
"Places of detention", including psychiatric units and jails are subject to independent monitoring under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (Opcat) framework.
Boshier said it will take about 12 months for random inspections to start. After planning his office will seek funding from Parliament. His team already monitor state-run dementia facilities.
"We look to see whether some people have been restrained in tie-down chairs, and whether there are adequate records."
Justice Minister Andrew Little said there had been cases where rest home care was "way below par".
"And we know there are aged-care residents with dementia who have been able to leave the facility and put themselves in danger. And that is just not right. It's about making sure that processes and procedures are up to scratch."
The Human Rights Commission in 2016 published a report recommending the Opcat framework be widened to include locked aged-care facilities and disability residences, citing incidents when older people were unable to move from chairs for many hours.
"Staffing levels don't allow for staff to take residents outdoors on request, and people with moderate or severe dementia will struggle to remember scheduled walking times. Their lived experience will be of being locked within a building with no exit," the report stated.
Greater oversight
• The Office of the Ombudsman's watchdog role will be expanded to include privately-run dementia facilities and detainees in court cells.
• The number of New Zealanders with dementia is projected to nearly triple to about 170,000 by 2050.
