Bernie Fitzpatrick's final months were marked by hospital stays and a desperate search for an aged care bed. His story highlights a growing crisis in NSW where hundreds of elderly patients are languishing in hospitals, waiting for placement in aged care facilities.
Even as dementia whittled away at his sharp mind, retired teacher Bernie Fitzpatrick was still riding his bike until the year before his death.
Bernie was accepted for an aged care bed, but the offer was revoked after an assessment found the home wouldn’t have enough staff on the floor at any one time to care for his high needs. “From that time on, he was in limbo,” Janice said. The figure is a sharp rise from pre-COVID levels, when there were 96 residential aged care patients in NSW public hospitals .“Hospitals were never designed to be places where people spend months and months on end,” said NSW Health Minister Ryan Park. “It’s terrible for them, most importantly, terrible for their families, and it’s certainly not good for a system like ours where we’re trying to get people moving through the hospital.
Park said the states could no longer “do the federal government’s job” by holding residents in hospitals, and that they needed to either be reimbursed or funded to deliver programs keeping people out of hospital in the first place.
AGED CARE HEALTHCARE ELDERLY HOSPITAL DELAYS NSW
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘Memory hurts, memory guides’: Auschwitz survivors mark anniversary with warnings over rising antisemitismElderly former inmates gather for perhaps final time and urge vigilance against resurgent European far right
Read more »
Australia Delays Reforms to Combat Foreign InterferenceThe Australian government has yet to implement promised reforms to its Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme (FITS) despite a review finding the current legislation ineffective against foreign government interference.
Read more »
West Gate Freeway Summer Roadworks to Cause DelaysMajor roadworks on the West Gate Freeway in Melbourne are set to cause significant traffic delays during the summer months. Lanes and ramps will be closed for various periods, with inbound traffic reduced to three lanes between Williamstown Road and Millers Road until mid-February.
Read more »
West Gate Freeway Roadworks to Cause DelaysDrivers are urged to plan ahead for expected delays of up to 30 minutes on the West Gate Freeway due to summer roadworks. Lanes and ramps will close from 9pm Monday for the construction of new express lanes, barriers, and signage as part of the West Gate Tunnel project. The freeway will be reduced to three lanes in both directions until mid-February, and inbound lanes will remain at that capacity until March 8. Some exit ramps will also close temporarily.
Read more »
Uncertainty Delays Brisbane Urban Renewal PlansUncertainty surrounding the completion date of the Cross River Rail project and the location of venues for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games has caused delays in urban renewal plans for four Brisbane sites.
Read more »
NIMBYism Blocks Housing for Homeless Elderly WomenThe article criticizes the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) attitude of residents in Riverwood, Sydney, who oppose a proposed social housing project for homeless women over 60. It contrasts this with the inclusive community spirit in Pyrmont, where social housing residents are welcomed and integrated.
Read more »