Workshop addresses unwanted sexual behaviour in aged care
An upcoming workshop is exploroing what can be done to better prevent and manage sexual violence in residential aged care.
A interactive workshop for aged care workers, nurses, managers, and healthcare professionals will explore what can be done to better prevent and manage sexual violence in aged care homes.
The face-to-face full-day event in Melbourne is an initiative of the Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care at La Trobe University and the Residential Aged Care Communiqué – an electronic publication containing narrative case reports of lessons learned from coroners’ investigations into preventable deaths in residential aged care settings.
The education will examine the prevailing negative sexual stereotypes of older people, their greater dependency on others and the challenges facing staff members in reporting, detecting, and preventing sexual assault.
It will be presented by ACEBAC and facilitated by Professor Joseph Ibrahim – who is a senior academic, practising senior consultant specialist in geriatric medicine and editor of the Residential Aged Care Communiqué – with other experts and experienced leaders of aged care practice and research.
The workshop responds to the increasing number of reports to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission of alleged or suspected unlawful sexual contact of residents in Australia, according to the program.
“Older people and especially those with dementia living in residential aged care facilities are a particularly vulnerable population for sexual assault. This is due to multiple physical, psychological, cognitive and health-related issues as well as co-housing of residents,” it said.
Professor Ibrahim and Monash university researcher Daisy Smith will present an overview of dilemmas in managing unwanted sexual behaviour and provide foundation knowledge as well as a group scenario-solving session.
The program also includes small group work on intimacy in residential aged care services presented by ACEBAC researchers Professor Deirdre Fetherstonhaugh and Dr Linda McAuliffe.
Elsewhere, geriatrician Dr Supriya Rama Krishnan will present on challenges with cognitively impaired residents. Other topics covered in the workshop include the roles of police and Centres Against Sexual Assault.
The workshop is designed for aged care workers, nurses, managers, and healthcare professionals. The registration fee includes an electronic workshop information pack.
The workshop, Addressing unwanted sexual behaviour in Residential Aged Care Services, is on Friday 24 February. It has limited places and costs $440.
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