THERE is perhaps little surprise left about the state of aged care in this country, yet there must be outrage.
Without fury, there is unlikely to be action and politics has proven a slow path to fixing many of the glaring problems dominating an industry that will likely serve most of us at some stage.
The level of that service will likely be set by how much we care about how it serves those already needing its help.
The royal commission into aged care dropped a report, which appears to have been dropped from the political conversation just as quickly by our leaders.
Meanwhile, a report detailed this week indicates that residents at some Hunter nursing homes are missing out on basic care - regular showers, access to dentists and optometrists, and specialised bedding to prevent pressure wounds, as well as medical attention and prescribed treatments.
If COVID-19 did not prove that negligence in aged care can have consequences that stem far beyond their walls, then what will it take to shake off the complacency around helping industry providers uniformly deliver a level of care that meets the standards expected? There is far too high a number of cases slipping through the cracks, when even one is too many.
More than 20 aged care facilities across the Hunter, Central Coast and north to Taree feature on the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission's non-compliance register for the period between July 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023.
That is unlikely due to bad intentions on the part of those organisations or their staff.
Hopefully, the altruistic nature of the work combined with policing would quickly push anyone with such intentions away, and yet there are systemic problems at the root of many shortcomings in the sector.
Staffing levels were listed as a significant issue at many homes, some receiving a one out of five star rating meaning "significant improvement needed", and some with a two-star rating, "improvement needed".
While a shortage of staff has struck many industries, this is not a question of productivity - it can quickly become one of dignity and human decency if high-needs patients are forced to make do.
One of many similar stories of hardship in the report, one resident at an aged care facility had to contact their family to get help to go to the toilet, "especially in the mornings".
These are not easy times, nor is aged care an easy industry. But when we are not surprised, perhaps we must be angry.
