Aged care residents only receiving appropriate care half the time, world-first Australian study finds

Research finds residents receive care in line with guidelines 53.2% of the time on average and just 12% of the time for depression

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Aged care residents are only receiving appropriate care half the time, and even less often for common conditions including depression, infections and wound care, according to a world-first Australian study.

Research led by the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at Macquarie University, published on Tuesday in the international journal BMC Medicine, found management of depression had the lowest rate of care being given in line with guidelines despite more than half of all permanent aged care residents experiencing depression symptoms.

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