Ms ROSOL – Last week the Treasurer described older Tasmanians who are ready for discharge from hospital but unable to access an aged care facility as ‘bed blockers’. I’ve heard from the language that you used in your opening statement, you talk about the importance of older people being valued and connected and supported and treated with dignity and respect. So, in your role as both the Minister for Ageing and the Minister for Health, how will you address this stigmatisation of older people, and what action will you take to ensure that respectful language is used about older people?
Mrs ARCHER – Well certainly, I have signed a pledge with COTA Tasmania as well around exactly that ‑ destigmatising language. That’s a piece of education, I think, for all Tasmanians, and we spoke earlier about the importance of being inclusive in the language that we use.
My focus in relation to this issue is exactly as I said, in recognising that in this case, older Tasmanians, but not necessarily older Tasmanians are, through no fault of their own, stranded in hospital. That’s a reasonable way to put it. It is an issue. We do have an issue of bed block, but we don’t seek, and I don’t seek, to blame the people who are not responsible for not being able to be discharged for that issue.
I’ve been very clear about that. I am generally, I think, very careful about the language that I use, and make every effort to be inclusive and respectful. I can be responsible for the language that I take, but we lead by that example and certainly that’s something that I undertake to do, that I actively try to do, and I think we can all play a part in that. That’s exactly the point of some of the strategies that we’re talking about to make sure that all Tasmanians feel welcome and included in Tasmania.
