Aged care urged to publish 'atrocities'

Aged-care providers are being urged to prominently publish their shortcomings and sanctions so families can make informed decisions about where to send their loved ones.

South Australian Senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore is pushing for legislative changes to force aged-care companies to publish all non-compliance notifications and punishments on their websites.

"Families deserve to know and need to have the full picture when they make the difficult decision to put their loved ones into care or are seeking help for them at home," she said on Thursday.

Some 55 aged-care providers have been issued with non-compliance notifications and 19 have sanctions against them.

But Senator Kakoschke-Moore is concerned that of the 19 providers facing current sanctions, only one has made reference to this on their website's home page.

"Family members shouldn't be forced to hunt for information in what can already be a difficult and even heartbreaking time," she said.

"Having these details on a provider's home page means consumers can make fully-informed decisions about who they're going to trust with the wellbeing of their loved ones."

An upcoming royal commission is due to investigate the extent of below-par aged care, and how to improve services for disabled residents, including young people.

The royal commission will also look at dealing with dementia, people who want to live at home, and a sustainable funding model for care and facilities.

It will release an interim report in October next year and a final report in 2020.