The ABC has been preparing this two-part series for several months. It goes to air this Monday night, the 17th at 8:30pm and the following Monday night, the 24th.
The word is it will be quite brutal. Expenditure on food at just six dollars a day and lack of nursing staff (mandated staff ratios to residents) will be covered.
Recently the nurses’ unions have been attacking the private operators of aged care and their profits; this is likely to be mentioned in the program.
While not directly targeting retirement villages, it will again unsettle the public on the safeguards in place, especially for private village operators.
You may wish to think about being on the front foot and communicating with residents that the program is coming so they understand it is aged care and they are not hearing about it third hand after the event, with the natural confusion that takes on.
You may also want to think of your responses to the confusion that can occur.
