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Independent
AdvocacyNQ
26th February 2020
Disability Royal Commission
Submission
DRC Enquiries@royalcommission.gov.au.
Independent Advocacy in the Tropics Inc. (“IATI”) including all registered Business Names, is a community organisation formed in 1989 then incorporated in 1991, to provide advocacy support for people with disability of all ages, genders and cultural identities. We provide a quality service accredited under the National Disability Advocacy Standards for both Individual and Systemic Advocacy.
The Need for Advocacy
People with a disability are in particular need of advocacy because they often experience or are vulnerable to discrimination, neglect, exploitation and/or abuse.
People with disability are just as valuable as any other human being regardless of what they do or don’t do. They need the same things that all people need to live well in this world; their own place, sense of belonging, love and affection, safety. We are all connected within a community and in our world and people with disability must be fully included in this. People with disability should not be separated, segregated or isolated. They should be able to make their own decisions, make mistakes, have courage, be fearful, be likeable, be unpleasant just as any other person. This is everyone’s basic human right.
PAST EXPERIENCES: I have witnessed in my eight years of attending residential aged care facilities (RACF) in Townsville and surrounding areas, insufficient staff levels to adequately care for the residents both aged and young and more so for those with disabilities. There is also a gap in the skills of the staff, and there are some staff who should not be working in the sector. As an Advocate, I experience a resistance from the facilities and/or staff to external assistance - apart from supports and community visitors. It is as though there is a culture in some facilities to close ranks so as not to risk being identified and reported for poor care, possible abuse and mismanagement. Some facilities who had young people with disabilities (YPIRAC) would create alliances with external service providers or not support them in providing their contracted services. And even not allowing residants to be taken into the community due to what they perceive are ‘behaviour’ issues. It was easy to keep a resident in a room all day with only minimal contact ie., mealtimes, bathing and bedding changes.
Independent Advocacy in the Tropics Inc. trading as Independent Advocacy NQ
Accredited Disability Advocacy Service
Office: 2/179-181Ross River Road Mundingburra QLD 4812 PO Box 3065 Hermit Park QLD 4812
P: 07 4725 2505 Toll free: 1800 887 688 F: 07 4725 6106
E: reception@ianq.org.au W: www.ianq.org.au ABN: 13 573 741460
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GREATER ISSUES EXPERIENCED: Client 1: Basic care where continence aids are not changed from overnight which then had a flow on affect where the pads were so full, they kept falling down. This same client had recurring UTl’s. Client had untreated head lice for 2 weeks and as a result, support workers would not work with her and she lost her community access. Same client was admitted to this RACF for a short rehabilitation
period after breaking her ankle in a Health facility where she was receiving mental health
treatment. She was admitted at the age of.and at the age of. was a permanent resident of this RACF. She was immobile due to not receiving the physic and rehabilitation recommended on her discharge from hospital. Client had been sexually and physically abused ■■■■•· Client had personal belongings taken from her room and advised of staff going through her wardrobe of a night removing any treats she may have bought herself during the day. I witnessed a breakfast tray left for her as she was late getting out of bed. She was told to eat the food before she was given lunch..■••••••and the food had been left for her at - Where is the food safety rules? There are many more negative experiences I witnessed and experienced with this client, -Sadly my client passed away in- from ■■■■■■-cancer, I months from diagnosis. Deceased Client - aged ■
Client 2. My non-verbal, intellectually impaired and neurologically paralysed female client was aspirating was not seen by RACF staff since■■■-he morning. On my arrival atllll■■I the client was in such distress as she was suffocating. Photos were taken of my client in distress to forward to the Board of the RACF. The staff were more concerned with accessing the photos than assist my client. Soon after this incident, there was another aspiration incident where action was taken to transport her to hospital but within a couple of days she died. Deceased Client - aged ■
Client 3. A client with a mental illness was visiting her mother daily in a RACF’s dementia unit. Client was noticing bruises on her mother and ■••••••■■■■■dislocated, she reported it to the staff but it was not investigated. The matter was referred to Qld Police Service. Client also phoned the Aged Care Complaints. This RACF had then turned the blame onto my client, the daughter, and accused her of causing the bruises and dislocated Another incident occurred to my clients mother, and my client made a complaint to the staff, and as a result Qld Police were called and escorted my client off the facility, in handcuffs and had her admitted to a mental health unit. My client had never been an inpatient in a mental health facility as her mental illness was minor and treated. On her discharge from the mental health unit, she was restricted to visiting her mother onlvllllhours per day. When her mother became unwell and was in her final days, thislhour visitation was not relaxed. My client’s mother passed away on her own, and my client was not notified until after she had
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passed. My client was so distressed at not being able to be by her mother’s side at this tragic time. This was a cruel and unnecessary act and not one of compassion and empathy which would have been expected of a facility supposedly run by professionals.
Client 4.
A female client, Indigenous, blind and-was co-erced away from her family by a male admirer. Male had relocated my client and her seeing eye dog to an isolated community at the opposite end of the state to her hometown.
The loans were in my clients name. Once the purchases were
ma e, an oneymoon period ceased, Domestic Violence crept in. The violence continued
for a period until, Police convinced my client to get an order against the male perpetrator and press the necessary charges. Apparently, this took some convincing, as my client was in unfamiliar territory, no family or friends and living in an isolated community, she was alone. She also believed he would change. Eventually, my client left that area and moved to a regional town where she was supported to live independently.
Client 5.
Male with long term mental illness, institutionalised and treated with ECT for long periods, was finally being discharged to community living. He found accommodation in a boarding house where
other vulnerable people lived. It was in this boarding house, where he suffered financial
exploitation, neglect and mental abuse at the hands of the owners of the boarding house. Owners would have him sign blank withdrawal forms to access his bank account, and in return he would receive a small sum of money to purchase cigarettes. Food was inadequate and of poor quality. Bedding had mites. The phone to the boarding house was not available to residents and a large fence was installed around the property and residents were given a curfew. Loved ones found it difficult to access the property and to see their family member. Eventually this vulnerable person
found supported living accommodation with a reputable service, but the boarding house
continued to operate and was listed as a discharge place for people exiting the hospital system.
Are there any other areas that should be considered by the Royal Commission? Young People in Nursing Homes with disabilities receive funding from National Disability Insurance Scheme. As part of their plans, there is a ‘back office’ figure of approx. $80,000 added to their core supports. I have been advised that this figure is given to Dept of Health for the RACFs to care for young people with disabilities. My enquiries have determined that this money is never given to the Aged Care facilities and
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Dept of Health staff member have advised they do not see this money. If these funds are provided to the RACFs, this would in fact assist in staffing levels and have a positive impact through the facility. Staff would have the time to give adequate personal care and assist with meals. Staff training ongoing would see long term benefits to all residents, and to the moral of the staff. Young people with disability who require significant care, should have other options available to them and a Residential Aged Care Facility should be a last resort.
People with Disability who suffer non institution Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation should be able to safely report their concerns and be believed. They should be supported through the systems to get their justice, and ongoing supports as required. The trauma associated with DV had a significant affect on Client 4, where she always felt unsafe in her home and in walking to her local shop. Her Guide dog would often walk her past her home after going to the shops , as the perpetrator was either seen by the dog or the dog sensed something was not right. This amazing dog would lay over the top of my client during the violent attacks.
When I reported Client 1 to Police, I was advised, due to her Intellectual Disability, there were
concerns she would not be believed and there was no point in continuing to seek justice. The RACF did take action and move her to a closer room to the Nurse Station and an alarm mat was at the entry to her room to alarm staff if anyone was entering her room. This was a strategy, but when one of the accused abusers was a staff member who knew the alarmed mat was in place, this was not a deterrent.
Boarding houses need to have more governance around their operations. The threat of financial exploitation and NDIS funding abuse is a real concern. The conditions of some boarding houses are not to standard, and there needs to be checks on these places regularly, unannounced. People living in boarding houses are vulnerable and few have informal supports around them to ensure they are being safely cared for.