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This underscores both the frustrations faced by residents and their families and the urgent need for a proactive, feedback-oriented approach by providers.
As complaints about care quality, staffing, and communication mount, the report emphasises the importance of fostering an environment where feedback is welcomed and issues are addressed before they escalate.
The report reveals that complaints have risen by nearly 7% over the past year, with persistent concerns about understaffing, poor communication, and variable standards of care.
Specifically, in residential aged care, medication administration topped the list of concerns, representing 6% of complaints, followed by personal hygiene issues (5%) and staffing sufficiency (4%).
These grievances, ranging from meal quality to personal care, indicate a disconnect between what residents and their families expect and the services delivered. In the home care sector, communication issues were the most common complaint, accounting for 15% of grievances, followed by fees and charges (11%) and financial management (7%).
While these concerns are indeed troubling, the Commission suggests they present an opportunity for providers to improve by actively listening and responding to feedback.