Aged care performance data must be made public
Consumers need easy access to data about the performance of individual aged care facilities so that they can make informed decisions, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA). ALA spokesperson and…
University of Newcastle Older Persons Legal Clinic Launched
We were pleased to participate recently in the launch of the University of Newcastle Law School Older Persons Legal Clinic. The clinic began seeing clients over 12 months ago, but…
Unique Problems Indigenous Australians Face in Relation to Aged Care
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has appropriately spent time looking at the specific and, at times, unique problems Indigenous Australians face in relation to aged care.…
Negligent Care Within Aged Care Facilities All Too Common | Our Client’s Story
WARNING TO READERS WHO ARE ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER. This story talks about people who have died. We acted for the daughter and granddaughter of a man (Mr W)…
Royal Commission hearings wrap up
The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety had its final hearings wrap up today, and leading aged care lawyer and advocate on aged care reform, Catherine Henry, says…
Budget 2020 failed to address the urgent and life-threatening issues in aged care
The 2020 federal budget has failed to address the systemic problems in aged care that COVID-19 has tragically exposed, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA). “We have a chronically underfunded…
Homeless Older Women
The number of homeless older women in Australia is increasing, according to the annual State of the Family report published by Anglicare Australia. This little-recognised phenomenon is linked to various social factors.…
When family members financially exploit the elderly | Our Client’s Story
When our elderly client’s property had been sold and the sale proceeds were kept by her son, extended family became concerned that our client had been taken advantage of by…
Covid-19 shows the cracks in our aged care system
This week is Aged Care Week and, sadly, the plight of older Australians living in aged care has again been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Prominent geriatrician…
3 must have inclusions in your residential aged care agreement
Once you have accepted a place at an aged care facility or nursing home, they will send you one or more contracts to formalise their offer. The documents are given…
Catherine Henry Lawyers in the running for two prestigious Australian Law Awards
Leading regional NSW based law firm, Catherine Henry Lawyers, is in the running for two prestigious Australian Law Awards. The firm is one of eight finalists for Regional Law Firm…
UPDATE: New Aged Care Visitor Access Code helps families and residents during COVID-19 pandemic
The New Aged Care Visitor Code has been updated with a range of changes including no time limits for close family visitors and allowing residents to leave a residential aged…
Aged Care Royal Commission hearings to resume as 4 Corners reports on Newmarch House tragedy
It is pleasing to see that the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will resume hearings next month after pausing in light of coronavirus - this coincides with…
Updated advice for residential aged care facilities on minimising Covid-19’s impact
There has been media and community attention on the issue of minimising the impact of COVID-19 in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), particularly in relation to visitor access and healthcare…
Amended laws allow aged care residents to live with their family during COVID-19
The Australian parliament has amended the Aged Care Act, 1997 to allow aged care residents to live with their family during COVID-19 without penalty. The amendment ensures the Government will…
Will changes, possible elder abuse and capacity issues | Our Client’s Story
When our client’s elderly sister made Will changes, removing her family and leaving her estate to a young couple she had just met, concerns of possible elder abuse were raised…
Inquiry into Newmarch House deaths needed
The tragic number of deaths at Newmarch House exposes all that is wrong with Australia’s residential aged care system and why the Australian government needs to undertake urgent reform to…
Mother murdered by a nursing assistant | Our Client’s Story
We successfully settled a negligence claim for our client who suffered mental harm (also known as ‘nervous shock’) when her mother was murdered by a nursing assistant at a facility…
Would you trust one person to share your estate?
In 2017, British television presenter and entertainer, Bruce Forsyth, passed away at the age of 89 years. According to media reports, he left an estate worth 17 million pounds to…
Aged Care Royal Commission update – Adelaide workshop and hearing
Adelaide Workshop on Aged Care Program Redesign The first public session of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Safety and Quality for 2020 was a workshop on the redesign of…
New research shows what’s needed to improve home care packages for older Australians
New Australian Government commissioned research by Dr Sarah Russell, Kristy Siostrom, Iain Edwards and Velandai Srikanth shows tighter regulation of providers of home care packages is one of a number…
New reports show Australia lagging internationally on aged care
Two new major reports for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety by Flinders University researchers show that Australia is lagging well behind other overseas countries when it…
Top 10 tips for older people to avoid elder abuse
It is estimated that at least five per cent of older people experience some kind of financial elder abuse by family members or carers. Common elder abuse scenarios include: attorneys…
Aged Care Royal Commission Update – Canberra hearing
The Aged Care Royal Commission into Quality and Safety held a hearing in Canberra from December 9 to 13. The Canberra hearing inquired into interfaces between the aged care system…
‘Tis the season… to be protected from financial elder abuse
Christmas is a joyful time for many, but as we know navigating the holiday season can be fraught with challenges. Whilst financial elder abuse may not be top of mind,…
Aged Care Royal Commission Update – Hobart hearing and Newcastle forum
The Royal Commission in to Aged Care Quality and Safety recently held a hearing in Hobart and conducted a Community Forum in Newcastle. Hobart hearing The Hobart Hearing inquired into…
Statement at the Aged Care Royal Commission Newcastle Community Forum
On Wednesday 27 November, our Principal, Catherine Henry, spoke at the Aged Care Royal Commission's Newcastle Community Forum. Her statement follows. I am a health and aged care lawyer practising…
Regional hearings and forums for the Royal Commission into Aged Care
The latest hearings of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety have wrapped up in Mudgee. The three day hearing inquired into the shortfalls and challenges in aged…
The Royal Commission to Aged Care Quality and Safety Hearings
The second and third Melbourne hearings of the Royal Commission to Aged Care Quality and Safety have inquired into diversity in aged care and the aged care workforce, respectively. Hearing…
Redraft of the aged care act needed
The Aged Care Act 1997 needs to be rewritten to improve safety and quality in aged care says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) ahead of the release of the preliminary…