An internal email from a manager at a Bupa aged care home, accidentally sent to residents’ families, says residents have been losing weight and that mealtimes at the home are not meeting Bupa’s own standards.
Screenshots of the email were posted anonymously last week in the Facebook group Aged Care at Home Forum Australia, with the poster saying the message had been sent by mistake to family members.
Screenshots of the email sparked a strong reaction from both aged care staff and care recipients who utilise the online forum to share tips, advice and vent frustration regarding Australian aged care services.
Bupa has since confirmed the email is real.
Addressed to staff, the email opens by stating that residents have been “losing weight”. The manager attributes this in part to poor mealtimes, writing that although there has been a “slight improvement over the last two weeks”, the home is “still not aligned with Bupa process”.
The manager then accuses some staff of taking meals before residents have been served, describing this as “basically stealing food from the residents”. Staff are told that Bupa does not supply food to them, and that taking residents’ drinks, including cans of soft drink, will be treated as theft and “serious misconduct” that will “lead to the termination of your employment”.
The email goes on to announce changes. Bupa’s “mealtime matters” program is to be rolled out in one part of the home the following Wednesday, and a servery will open at night in another. Staff are asked to encourage as many residents as possible to the dining room, to know whether they are assigned to trays or dining and be on time, and to stop putting residents to bed at the start of an afternoon shift.
On that last point, the manager writes that residents “have a choice”, adding that “it’s their choice not yours”.
The email closes with a warning: “if you care about our residents then you need to change your approach when it comes to meals.”
Bupa was approached for comment and replied two days later with a statement, which did not answer the specific questions put to it about the email.
“An internal email intended for our team at one of our aged care homes was inadvertently sent to a small number of residents’ families this week,” the statement said. “We apologise for the error.”
Bupa said the email was intended to “reinforce expectations of our employees and support continuous improvement in mealtime experiences”, adding that it knows “the important role nutrition and hydration play in our residents’ health and wellbeing”.
The statement continued: “We regularly monitor residents’ nutritional needs and have established processes in place to support them at mealtimes to ensure they receive appropriate care.”
The email surfaced as Bupa is reportedly exploring a sale of its Australian aged care business. The Australian has reported that Bupa Asia Pacific has appointed Morgan Stanley to explore a sale of its 57 Australian homes, with the combined Australian and New Zealand portfolio estimated to be worth more than $2 billion.
When I used to PCA at another company, it was the same. The staff would rush residents and take meals away too soon. They wouldn’t even ask if the resident would like tea or coffee.
It is good this email was sent out.
The families have a right to know that the standard of services are very poor!
Aged care is one of the most challenging type of work that there is!
The managers of these homes for the aged need to make it a more attractive place to work by actually demonstrating that they care about their staff.
Maree
I speak from experience as a past employer of the same company.
Residents would get served their meals which in many cases I would class as a very small meal.
Although there was always ample left over in the kitchen this would be disposed of into a bin.
I made the decision as the person incharge of my area when on shift that the residents were to be asked if they wanted more, be it soup, main or dessert.
The kitchen was left with very little to throw out.
I can’t speak for all staff but my residents on my shifts never went hungry.
Our experience includes having resident aspirate on food due to staff forced feeding and intermittent dysphagia, sent to hospital for 5 days with nil by mouth, having them cancel the contract when in hospital and requiring a social worker to re enter the home, Once returned with provisions for feeding allowed on discharge, despite her having lost nearly 8 kilograms and severely dehydrated and malnourished -the new GM (the old one left as the turnover is extremely high). exclaims “I do not authorise my staff to feed her ” then manufactures a series of completely false events involving a SIRS for feeding, followed by a police event for waking her. Attempted to send her back to hospital due to her not being feed the same day thankfully the ambulance recognised what was happening as they do love to hospital dump whenever possible. Mismanagement Immediately bans family and guardians from entering the premises during feeding times and initiates an NCAT to take guardianship. where the GM immediately absconds for 3 weeks holidays. Meanwhile resident bumps head on bed head with yet another incident, and suffers additional neural paralysis. Meanwhile they continue to use the incorrect lifting slings without head support. Nursing homes have become abusive institutions with no accountability. Whatever you do -don’t get the Aged care commission involved in any reasonable complaints process, they may as well be working for the retirement village and happily re descriptive engineer events for the homes benefit to read no issues found- toothless tigers.