Sarah called the Older Persons Advocacy Network about her friend Ruth who lives in an aged care home. The home had been restricting Sarah from visiting Ruth.

After confirming with Ruth that she wanted an advocate to assist, a meeting was arranged between the Ruth and Sarah and an advocate to discuss the concerns. Ruth explained how she is very unhappy about the visiting restrictions placed on Sarah. Sarah had been given a letter stipulating her visits to the aged care home were to take place only under supervision on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10.30am to 12 noon and the door was not to be closed at any time during Sarah’s visits.

Ruth advised her health and well-being were suffering because of the worry over these restrictions and said that she missed Sarah’s visits. Ruth said she was really upset and felt powerless to have it changed, however, she did not wish to create conflict with the home. It was agreed the advocate would organise a meeting with the aged care home Manager to ask to remove the visiting restrictions.

At the meeting, the Manager explained that Ruth’s family were concerned that Sarah may take advantage of Ruth. Ruth said that this was absurd, and her family could not say who she could or could not visit. The advocate was able to raise concerns to the manager on Ruth’s behalf regarding Ruth’s independent rights given she had full legal decision making capacity. The advocate referred the Manager to the Charter of Residents’ Rights and Responsibilities which outlines resident visiting rights.

The advocate was able to successfully negotiate a positive outcome with the home whereby Ruth was able to have Sarah visit when it suited them both.