Staff shortages mean 30,000 dementia patients missing vital care – advocate

A psychogeriatric unit for dementia patients at a Dunedin rest home is being forced to close due to staffing shortages.

Alzheimers New Zealand said the closure was more evidence of a “scandalous” gap in healthcare for the elderly, and they estimate about 30,000 people with dementia who need vital care are missing out, due to staff shortages.

Presbytarian Support Otago is closing its Dunedin Ross Home unit which provided care to people who need the highest level of dementia care because it cannot find enough staff.

Enliven aged care homes acting director Jo O’Neill said it had made the difficult decision to close the Lindsay unit at Ross Home at the end of October and transfer its 16 patients to other homes.

O’Neill is also the chief executive of Presbyterian Support Otago, said despite intense efforts staffing had been a significant challenge.

“The Lindsay unit is sadly now in a critical status which means we are unable to provide the care required to our most vulnerable elderly.

“At the heart of this decision is the well-being and dignity of our most vulnerable residents and the safety and wellbeing of our staff.”

The decision comes as rest homes across the country are reducing capacity due to chronic staff shortages.

O’Neill said while Presbyterian Support Otago was committed to providing quality care to older people and its most vulnerable residents, for the past six months it had struggled to staff the Lindsay unit with both nurses and carers.

Those staffing challenges were even greater in dementia care, which required specially trained staff.

Alzheimers New Zealand chief executive Catherine Hall said the shortages were dire, and widespread.

The ageing population was not a surprise, but not enough work had been done to avoid such situations. And the government’s health care workforce recruitment efforts were too slow, she said.

“It’s very tragic. it’s a scandal in fact – in many respects,” Hall said.

Te Whatu Ora Southern had provided Presbyterian Support Otago (PSO) with support and advice, and Enliven’s Jo O’Neill had been working on the challenges and possible solutions with a Te Whatu Ora portfolio manager.

Each resident was to be assessed by the rest home and Te Whatu Ora Southern, in consultation with their families to create individual plans for their relocation.

The dementia unit that will close was PSO’s largest Enliven care home, and would continue to operate all its other units – about 100 aged care beds.

O’Neill said it they would work with staff from the unit to retain them at Ross Home, or to transition them to other roles.