ALARMing trend in aged care abuse to be tackled by Aged Care Justice

For nearly 2 years ALARM has been focused on reducing the abuse and neglect exposed by the Royal Commission into Aged Care (Royal Commission) by ensuring aged care residents have a means to access legal support.

In that time, ALARM has assisted nearly 50 aged care residents from across Australia. Assistance has included general support and connection to lawyers from its panel of legal firms to ensure residents’ legal issues can be addressed. As a result, some victims have received redress for the wrongs they have suffered and others have forced change in the way residents are treated in aged care homes. We need to remain ALARMed by these issues. However, now more than ever we also need to ensure that victims and their families can easily find us and access our services so that we can continue to grow and provide support to those in need. With this in mind we have changed our name to Aged Care Justice.

Our aim is to empower resident victims and their families to seek the legal support they need to understand their rights and pursue them, if they wish. There is no cost in utilising our services. Once a person is referred to an aged care lawyer who can provide advice, the initial consultation is also free. Lawyers have agreed to identify the most efficient and economical way to proceed including pro bono for those who qualify.

“It is a privilege to work with Aged Care Justice to help reduce elder abuse. When Aged Care Justice refers a client to me I discuss their concerns and the options open to them. Often a discussion is all that is needed to enable you to sort out the issue but if more is required, we can agree on a planned approach,” says solicitor Paula Chatfield from Chatfield Lawyers.

Aged Care Justice strives to achieve justice for victims and facilitate change by providing access to legal services, offering educational material on aged care rights and lobbying for sector reform. “Often aged care residents may not even realise what they are experiencing is abuse and that’s why Aged Care Justice was created – to empower, educate and protect,” states Aged Care Justice President and Founder, Dr Bryan Keon-Cohen AM KC.

For articles about aged care facilities, please reach out to us for information. The necessary improvements in practices will occur if more information is placed in the public domain.

If you are experiencing an issue at an aged care facility, Aged Care Justice can offer support and connect you with legal services. Please reach out.