The Oleander Project

Dear Mr Jonah and all those who sail with you,

I have been reading your Annual Report and am saddened.

You speak in glowing terms of the wonderful opportunities for the business and your shareholders going forward with expected growth rates and increasing profits. You speak of EBITDA’s and ACFI’s and EBA’s and NPA’s and LTIFRs’ (1) and all sorts of things many of us have never heard of. You speak of greenfields, brownfields, organic growth, acquisitions and management platforms.  You speak of exciting opportunities in the future and the imminent introduction of the 'Workforce Management System' which will further cut staffing levels and add yet more to the bottom line.

If I were a shareholder in your company, I would be beside myself with glee by now. But wait, there's more.

Drilling into your publication, you talk about introducing all sorts of paid services and other opportunities. You speak of how, with the constant delivery of quality care and a safe environment, you have achieved a 100% accreditation rating and give yourselves a pat on the back for the effort.

Then, there, buried away in the body of the report, under the address from your good self, all alone, as the afterthought it is, stands one tiny paragraph headed Our people, our residents and staff remain our number one priority.  The consistent delivery of high quality care and a safe environment.  They are numero uno, number one in line.

Now, that is where it all gets a bit sad. You see, in my view, you are practicing the Oleander Principle:

You see, I know of more than one of the facilities you run and I have a few comments to make about them. You took them over a while back. They were ok, not the best, but ok. However, since you have taken control you have made some changes... for the worse.

You have cut staff numbers to the core. This has a serious impact on the high care residents you claim to care for, your 'number one' priority. Then, if any staff member is not able to work one day, the residents get to sit around in rooms waiting and waiting... and waiting to be got out of bed.   Your policy of not replacing non-attendant staff with an agency person is not so good for residents, but works a treat for profitability - no doubt reflected in the huge savings made in the balance sheets.

Your place used to have some reasonable staff known to the residents - until they were bullied out of it by your shiny new team. At least you are on a par with some other homes in that regard. In fact, you are on a par with a lot of other homes in many ways now that I think of it.

Oh, and the policy that says 'if a resident is not able to be got out of bed then they are confined to their bedroom’ - ensuing a day of drudgery and boredom.  The genius who thought of that needs a pay rise.  I can see how that is appealing and makes for a much quieter atmosphere.

There used to be a bus trip weekly so the residents got to experience and see some of the outside world and perhaps go out for lunch at a bakery by a park or to the hills somewhere. An outing, a little excitement in their otherwise drab week. They had favourite places they used to go. That doesn’t happen any more. It''s more like once in a while. What happened?

The home has a hydrotherapy facility which works, or rather, worked quite well and was a comfort to those in need of some exercise of a gentle nature. Then you took over. Now mysteriously, it doesn’t work anymore. A friend of mine found great relief in that pond as it kept him mobile and gave relief. Never mind.  Unfixable I’ve heard.

The food was never much good, but occasionally it was at least warm. Yes, there was choice as there is now. But it is your choice and not something I would want to eat.  But then I, like you, don’t have to eat there. But that is where choice ended. When it came to the temperature side of things, well, there is no choice. When the fish and chips are soggy or the braise is gluggy and they both taste like they came straight from the fridge every day, it gets a tad disappointing. 

Food is an important marker of the day for residents in aged care and often the only thing some residents have to look forward to. 

I want to commend you on your smartly dressed onsite chef - and the kitchen does look really good. All shiny, well kept and set to impress potential new residents and keep your ratings up. Pity it is just for show.

The thieving and destruction of personal property, precious memorabilia and clothes is carrying on unabated I see. Well done. You are always able to blame someone for that one. You always could. Probably due to wandering residents, agency staff, a passing vagrant, who knows. Why, the long suffering resident could have just chucked them in the bin for all you know, or swallowed their teeth. Could have been anybody couldn’t it? You’re never responsible and you don't seem to care.

Toileting your 'number one' priorities you have down to a fine art. Residents who need to wear incontinence pads are rationed to three a day, yes, just three. They get to sit or lie around in their pee and poo for anything up to eight hours. You try that one!

The incontinence nurse from the company that supplies them, speaks in a manner of almost disbelief and marvels at how effective they are and that it is amazing they will hold four litres (that is one gallon give or take) of urine and ''aren’t these modern materials just so great and because of that they don’t need to be changed very often".  The upshot is that you need less pesky staff to care for your leaky old residents. 

Think of the savings and the benefit to the home and the environment --- and they can supply a nifty little three-pack holder to hang on the wall.  They also come in boxes of 12 or more and are very cost effective at only two dollars each.

Q) How does that help your number one priority? High quality care? Really? 

The upshot is: On top of the extreme discomfort they experience daily due to the stinky solid pads, Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s) are forced upon the residents whether they want them or not, although I can’t imagine anyone actually wanting one. I don’t know what the rates of UTI’s are in your home, but my understanding is that the industry standard for nursing homes is 50% compared to 10% for the same age group in the wider community. I wonder why that is? But I understand that for you it is part of a cost-savings exercise - and...well...you wouldn’t want to cut into that multi-million dollar NPAT would you?

Anyway, who cares about the oldies really? It is their problem for getting old and leaky.  And if they get sick, well, they can pay for that themselves and they should be thankful they get treatment within a week - in spite of the recommendation in the GP silver book that treatment begin immediately a clinical diagnosis is made.  Here is the bit lifted from the RACGP Silver Book. You should read it because people at that age really go right off the planet with a UTI:

I guess that is where the good doctors really come in handy and prescribe those mood controlling drugs in the form of 'anti-depressants'.  Where would you be without them? The industry rate for the prescription of them is 70% - but I guess that can be tweaked. That keeps the priority people quiet and less bothersome doesn’t it? And the best part… the dear old residents (those number ones) pay for that as well. Everyone's a winner here - except for the resident.

Forgive me for feeling a little cynical regarding your tiny mention of the 'number one' priority and the 'high quality care' you claim to deliver. I imagine we have different expectations and ways of assessing and defining exactly what 'high quality' is. A bit like the agency which accredits you. They make an appointment at your convenience so they smell the paint, check the paperwork is up to scratch, admire the carpet, look at the menu and speak to the hand-picked residents you have selected, then stamp your card.

At the end of the day, should anything go awry, you can take comfort in knowing that a plethora of assistance from various 'risk management' and PR consultants than can advise on the cost of cover ups. They can advise on the palms you have to grease, the people you have to suck up to and the talking heads you have to buy or lobby. The people on your other short list of priority people, the real ones, are a different set aren’t they? Then you will sail along in to the sunset all squeaky and clean and looking good as you watch your numbers going up... and up.

I don’t imagine my little note will have any effect on you or your quest for the mighty dollar. From my perspective, it’s all a bit sad really. When I was a kid growing up we had society. We also had economy - but the economy was there to serve society. It was a time when people actually cared about each other, especially the vulnerable. Perhaps my problem is I care too much for the people I know and don't know -- and I should just shove off and leave you to weave your magic over the victims of your tailored neglect and abuse.

I guess economy won and now people are of little or no value at all. A bit like an Oleander bush. Lovely tree and beautiful flowers, but it will poison you if you consume it. Your little business is just another shining example of how, when it comes to a dollar versus humanity, for some, the dollar will always win.

I guess the fact that these people built our economy and suffered all sorts of hardships and even for some of them, risked their lives in war so we could have what we have doesn't mean much to you. I doubt it ever did nor to the people who support you in your quest to become profitable, efficient and successful.

They come to you and others like you now in need of care and security and what do they get? A welcoming smile, a room --- and an acuity rating! And my goodness gracious --- haven’t those ratings become more accurate with your team in charge?

After that it's all down hill.