Ozcare Palm Lodge Aged Care Facility

Er In

I am writing this review in retrospect as a past staff member during 2019-20. The following is a description of what I saw during my short time at the facility. The overwhelming majority of patient care work is conducted by the Carers, who each share a load of appx 30 patients to two staff. Registered Nurses work in the facility, however have a patient load of 60-100 and whose primary role is to open up pre-packed medications from a pharmacy, tip them in to a cup and give them to patients. The only time I witnessed a RN conduct an assessment was if a patient had fallen over. The RNs delegate all other patient care duties to unskilled and untrained carers. The implication of this is that our registered nurses are not able to offer patients a satisfactory level of care, and have stunted their own personal growth and education. The facility (like all other government aged care facilities) accepts payments from Australian universities to have students attend 'placement' - essentially a free workforce which reduces the need to hire full-time staff. I have witnessed sub-standard care on numerous occasions, including infected, soiled dressings that were only due to be changed once every three days. I have been told by a clinical nurse to use Moretein around a patient's wheel chair and bedroom to reduce the number of maggots and flies in their infected wound. I can still hear patients shouting "help" from their beds as they lay dying in pain waiting hours for pain relief. I witnessed a dying man who was denied a shower for six months as his bathroom was used to keep dressings and equipment for the patient next door - noone complained though as he had no family or friends. I can go on. Despite documenting these events, the result ended in coverups and ostracising whistleblowers. If you must send a loved one here, please visit them almost daily and advocate for their care.

Heru Pinkasova

Friendly, family feel to the place. Had some hiccups in the beginning, but that’s normal, and residents are respected & cared for very well. Very nice covered verandah were residents can see the street outside. It has quite a few programs & activities running, like visiting uni students & playgroup visits.