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Story: Care and carers

Standards of care

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Standards of care

Standards of care provided by rest homes came under the spotlight in the early 21st century. Sensational media stories supported some claims that standards were not monitored carefully enough. In 2008 a tradesman called to a rest home reported that he had seen an elderly woman with her mouth taped. This cartoon comments on that case, and the attitudes that allow such abuse to happen.

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Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: DCDL-0006976

by Tom Scott

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Nancy Swarbrick, Care and carers – The politics of care, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/cartoon/30474/standards-of-care (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Nancy Swarbrick, published 30 March 2011.