Aged care workers provide an invaluable service to the community. There is comfort and relief in knowing that we will be taken care of when (or if) the time comes to move into an aged care home. But the industry, already in crisis for being understaffed and overburdened, has another problem – workers are leaving and do not feel there is much incentive to stay.

One aged care worker took to the social news website Reddit to vent and ask other employees in the sector if they are experiencing reduced hours.

The Redditor said: ‘Is this happening Australia-wide in the aged care sector (aged care homes) or just the rotten aged care company I work for?

‘They are reducing hours because the company said that it has gone over budget. They said this isn’t the only aged care company where reduced hours are happening.

‘This includes every worker in the company besides full-time employees such as kitchen staff, laundry staff, and afternoon PCAs (but not morning shift PCAs, they gain more dollars because the afternoon shift has less).

‘It’s absolutely s**t and I can’t help but feel like it’s a lie.’

Understaffed and overworked facilities struggle to provide the care their residents deserve. Credit: Matthias Zomer/Pexels

Many Redditors, who are not necessarily aged care workers, sympathised with the author.

One user said: ‘Gone over budget = We've realised we can squeeze more profit out of this facility by screwing over the staff even more.’

A reply to the comment said: ‘It’s both staff and residents.’

A third chimed in: ‘But especially residents. They pay for good care, and the staff are trying to do this, but how they are treated makes it harder to look out for the residents.’

Another said: ‘That's what happens when you privatise health care. Dollars take priority over the health and well-being of the frailest and dependent elderly in our communities.’

Australia has a mix of for-profit, not-for-profit, and government-operated nursing homes. The introduction of the 1997 Aged Care Act aimed to simplify funding and increase choice in care and, in turn, incentivised privatisation. Residential aged-care facilities began opting for workers who aren't trained nurses, reducing staff, and some-what compromising the quality of care seniors receive to maximising profit.

One worker in a nursing home expressed exasperation: ‘We are short-staffed 80 per cent of the time. We are getting 16 and 17-year-old kids working at my place, nice kids but they can't cope and leave. There are also insufficient continence aids, a massive increase in work and duties, and the list goes on. I still love the residents, but I am looking for work outside the industry which I thought I would never do. I'm just done.’

Another user previously involved with the industry said: ‘I worked in a facility. Never again. Community age care is where I am now. You can look into that, just research the companies first.’

A Redditor was discouraged by the post: ‘And here I was, thinking about getting into aged care.’

Others cautioned them against joining: ‘Don't, for your own sake and the sake of everyone around you, stay away. It's a miserable combination of hard work, deeply unsatisfying results, and an executive culture that makes bankers look like charity workers.’

Some were more encouraging: ‘I work in aged care. Maybe you should try it. There are bad and great facilities. The people who care are the ones who can make a difference in the facility and the residents. Yes, we work hard and are short-staffed most of the time, but who else will do it? If you feel like you can step up and be a positive change, then do it.’

A Redditor responded: ‘It must be heartbreaking knowing not all residents are getting the care they need. You can't be expected to work an extra eight hours a day for free to overcome staff shortages. Like you say, though, if people like you leave, it will be even worse.’

There are government initiatives that encourage entry into the industry, such as ‘A Life Changing Life’ campaign and promote career growth for aged care registered nurses. However, the industry shortage continues and worsens with more workers leaving yearly.

A report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) found that Australia is already short of 35,000 workers needed to meet international standards of care. CEDA was also not optimistic about the future – it estimated that about 65,000 more would quit this year.

The sector already had workforce-related issues before 2020, which included staff shortages, poor working conditions, and abysmal wages. The COVID-19 pandemic did not help, with workers facing ‘crisis levels of exhaustion’.

While many aged care employees desire job security from the industry and the benefits that come with it, facilities have not been offering a clear pathway to becoming permanent employees or competitive compensation. ABC reported that a casual aged care employee averages $27.03 an hour, while a permanent part-time contract worker is paid $21.62 an hour. Others prefer a casual contract because there is at least a 25 per cent loading.

The federal government is also slow to support unions’ fight for a 25 per cent increase in wages in the Fair Work Commission.

Watch this feature by ABC covering the sector’s call for commitment to workforce funding:

All these inevitably impact the quality of care provided to residents. Three years ago, about 87 per cent of staff said they rush care of residents because they have too many tasks to accomplish, and 94 per cent said they don’t have time to talk and connect to them. More than a third do not see themselves working in residential aged care for much longer. Considering the data from the CEDA report, we can assume that the numbers have worsened since then.

So folks, what do you think? Does this change your desire to receive care in aged care facilities should you need it? Let us know in the comments.

 

[Pommyoz]

My late father was cared for lovingly, because the carers are friends of mine, and have mentioned how
critical the situation is getting, but their well-trained consciences say they cannot leave the vulnerable.
They will carry on regardless. At his funeral many tears were to be seen, because they loved my dad AND their work. (If my dad was a nasty person, then I guarantee nothing would have passed their lips.) Dedication should be rewarded among staff who work ethically., NOT squeeze them dry for ruddy shareholders.

 

[Shane O'Neill]

Aged care workers provide an invaluable service to the community. There is comfort and relief in knowing that we will be taken care of when (or if) the time comes to move into an aged care home. But the industry, already in crisis for being understaffed and overburdened, has another problem – workers are leaving and do not feel there is much incentive to stay.

One aged care worker took to the social news website Reddit to vent and ask other employees in the sector if they are experiencing reduced hours.

The Redditor said: ‘Is this happening Australia-wide in the aged care sector (aged care homes) or just the rotten aged care company I work for?

‘They are reducing hours because the company said that it has gone over budget. They said this isn’t the only aged care company where reduced hours are happening.

‘This includes every worker in the company besides full-time employees such as kitchen staff, laundry staff, and afternoon PCAs (but not morning shift PCAs, they gain more dollars because the afternoon shift has less).

‘It’s absolutely s**t and I can’t help but feel like it’s a lie.’

View attachment 8405
Understaffed and overworked facilities struggle to provide the care their residents deserve. Credit: Matthias Zomer/Pexels

Many Redditors, who are not necessarily aged care workers, sympathised with the author.

One user said: ‘Gone over budget = We've realised we can squeeze more profit out of this facility by screwing over the staff even more.’

A reply to the comment said: ‘It’s both staff and residents.’

A third chimed in: ‘But especially residents. They pay for good care, and the staff are trying to do this, but how they are treated makes it harder to look out for the residents.’

Another said: ‘That's what happens when you privatise health care. Dollars take priority over the health and well-being of the frailest and dependent elderly in our communities.’

Australia has a mix of for-profit, not-for-profit, and government-operated nursing homes. The introduction of the 1997 Aged Care Act aimed to simplify funding and increase choice in care and, in turn, incentivised privatisation. Residential aged-care facilities began opting for low-skilled workers instead of nurses, reducing staff, and compromising the quality of care seniors receive to maximising profit.

One worker in a nursing home expressed exasperation: ‘We are short-staffed 80 per cent of the time. We are getting 16 and 17-year-old kids working at my place, nice kids but they can't cope and leave. There are also insufficient continence aids, a massive increase in work and duties, and the list goes on. I still love the residents, but I am looking for work outside the industry which I thought I would never do. I'm just done.’

Another user previously involved with the industry said: ‘I worked in a facility. Never again. Community age care is where I am now. You can look into that, just research the companies first.’

A Redditor was discouraged by the post: ‘And here I was, thinking about getting into aged care.’

Others cautioned them against joining: ‘Don't, for your own sake and the sake of everyone around you, stay away. It's a miserable combination of hard work, deeply unsatisfying results, and an executive culture that makes bankers look like charity workers.’

Some were more encouraging: ‘I work in aged care. Maybe you should try it. There are bad and great facilities. The people who care are the ones who can make a difference in the facility and the residents. Yes, we work hard and are short-staffed most of the time, but who else will do it? If you feel like you can step up and be a positive change, then do it.’

A Redditor responded: ‘It must be heartbreaking knowing not all residents are getting the care they need. You can't be expected to work an extra eight hours a day for free to overcome staff shortages. Like you say, though, if people like you leave, it will be even worse.’

There are government initiatives that encourage entry into the industry, such as ‘A Life Changing Life’ campaign and promote career growth for aged care registered nurses. However, the industry shortage continues and worsens with more workers leaving yearly.

A report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) found that Australia is already short of 35,000 workers needed to meet international standards of care. CEDA was also not optimistic about the future – it estimated that about 65,000 more would quit this year.

The sector already had workforce-related issues before 2020, which included staff shortages, poor working conditions, and abysmal wages. The COVID-19 pandemic did not help, with workers facing ‘crisis levels of exhaustion’.

While many aged care employees desire job security from the industry and the benefits that come with it, facilities have not been offering a clear pathway to becoming permanent employees or competitive compensation. ABC reported that a casual aged care employee averages $27.03 an hour, while a permanent part-time contract worker is paid $21.62 an hour. Others prefer a casual contract because there is at least a 25 per cent loading.

The federal government is also slow to support unions’ fight for a 25 per cent increase in wages in the Fair Work Commission.

Watch this feature by ABC covering the sector’s call for commitment to workforce funding:

All these inevitably impact the quality of care provided to residents. Three years ago, about 87 per cent of staff said they rush care of residents because they have too many tasks to accomplish, and 94 per cent said they don’t have time to talk and connect to them. More than a third do not see themselves working in residential aged care for much longer. Considering the data from the CEDA report, we can assume that the numbers have worsened since then.

So folks, what do you think? Does this change your desire to receive care in aged care facilities should you need it? Let us know in the comments.

These private facilities are after one thing profit above care cut corners to save the mighty dollar for the shareholders and the previous government feed money into the private sector

 

[Rubyroo]

Aged care workers provide an invaluable service to the community. There is comfort and relief in knowing that we will be taken care of when (or if) the time comes to move into an aged care home. But the industry, already in crisis for being understaffed and overburdened, has another problem – workers are leaving and do not feel there is much incentive to stay.

One aged care worker took to the social news website Reddit to vent and ask other employees in the sector if they are experiencing reduced hours.

The Redditor said: ‘Is this happening Australia-wide in the aged care sector (aged care homes) or just the rotten aged care company I work for?

‘They are reducing hours because the company said that it has gone over budget. They said this isn’t the only aged care company where reduced hours are happening.

‘This includes every worker in the company besides full-time employees such as kitchen staff, laundry staff, and afternoon PCAs (but not morning shift PCAs, they gain more dollars because the afternoon shift has less).

‘It’s absolutely s**t and I can’t help but feel like it’s a lie.’

View attachment 8405
Understaffed and overworked facilities struggle to provide the care their residents deserve. Credit: Matthias Zomer/Pexels

Many Redditors, who are not necessarily aged care workers, sympathised with the author.

One user said: ‘Gone over budget = We've realised we can squeeze more profit out of this facility by screwing over the staff even more.’

A reply to the comment said: ‘It’s both staff and residents.’

A third chimed in: ‘But especially residents. They pay for good care, and the staff are trying to do this, but how they are treated makes it harder to look out for the residents.’

Another said: ‘That's what happens when you privatise health care. Dollars take priority over the health and well-being of the frailest and dependent elderly in our communities.’

Australia has a mix of for-profit, not-for-profit, and government-operated nursing homes. The introduction of the 1997 Aged Care Act aimed to simplify funding and increase choice in care and, in turn, incentivised privatisation. Residential aged-care facilities began opting for low-skilled workers instead of nurses, reducing staff, and compromising the quality of care seniors receive to maximising profit.

One worker in a nursing home expressed exasperation: ‘We are short-staffed 80 per cent of the time. We are getting 16 and 17-year-old kids working at my place, nice kids but they can't cope and leave. There are also insufficient continence aids, a massive increase in work and duties, and the list goes on. I still love the residents, but I am looking for work outside the industry which I thought I would never do. I'm just done.’

Another user previously involved with the industry said: ‘I worked in a facility. Never again. Community age care is where I am now. You can look into that, just research the companies first.’

A Redditor was discouraged by the post: ‘And here I was, thinking about getting into aged care.’

Others cautioned them against joining: ‘Don't, for your own sake and the sake of everyone around you, stay away. It's a miserable combination of hard work, deeply unsatisfying results, and an executive culture that makes bankers look like charity workers.’

Some were more encouraging: ‘I work in aged care. Maybe you should try it. There are bad and great facilities. The people who care are the ones who can make a difference in the facility and the residents. Yes, we work hard and are short-staffed most of the time, but who else will do it? If you feel like you can step up and be a positive change, then do it.’

A Redditor responded: ‘It must be heartbreaking knowing not all residents are getting the care they need. You can't be expected to work an extra eight hours a day for free to overcome staff shortages. Like you say, though, if people like you leave, it will be even worse.’

There are government initiatives that encourage entry into the industry, such as ‘A Life Changing Life’ campaign and promote career growth for aged care registered nurses. However, the industry shortage continues and worsens with more workers leaving yearly.

A report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) found that Australia is already short of 35,000 workers needed to meet international standards of care. CEDA was also not optimistic about the future – it estimated that about 65,000 more would quit this year.

The sector already had workforce-related issues before 2020, which included staff shortages, poor working conditions, and abysmal wages. The COVID-19 pandemic did not help, with workers facing ‘crisis levels of exhaustion’.

While many aged care employees desire job security from the industry and the benefits that come with it, facilities have not been offering a clear pathway to becoming permanent employees or competitive compensation. ABC reported that a casual aged care employee averages $27.03 an hour, while a permanent part-time contract worker is paid $21.62 an hour. Others prefer a casual contract because there is at least a 25 per cent loading.

The federal government is also slow to support unions’ fight for a 25 per cent increase in wages in the Fair Work Commission.

Watch this feature by ABC covering the sector’s call for commitment to workforce funding:

All these inevitably impact the quality of care provided to residents. Three years ago, about 87 per cent of staff said they rush care of residents because they have too many tasks to accomplish, and 94 per cent said they don’t have time to talk and connect to them. More than a third do not see themselves working in residential aged care for much longer. Considering the data from the CEDA report, we can assume that the numbers have worsened since then.

So folks, what do you think? Does this change your desire to receive care in aged care facilities should you need it? Let us know in the comments.

 

[Rubyroo]

The aged care sector is appalling. When you get rid of nurses and assistant nurses and replace them with personal careers who are under trained, over worked, and often overwhelmed, it’s a disaster waiting to happen.
I have friends in the aged care sector who are excellent at what they do..but can’t do their job as a nurse because now they are cooking and serving food instead of showering or toileting or medicating residents.
The system needs a massive overhaul. I think that facilities are too top heavy with accountants and the like, who are appointed as managers who are only interested in the moneyside. The residents are not considered. Care should be the top priority but sadly it is not.

 

[Ricci]

Aged Care Homes are in a parlous state. I think there should be no "for profit" homes, all should be 'Not for Profit" or Government run. No-one should be able to make a profit off the backs of our elderly. All homes should be closely linked to or come under the auspices of a hospital to ensure medical needs are addressed.
We should re-evaluate our priorities, for too long chasing the dollar has been the greatest motive, we need to change that to a caring one, where you are adequately rewarded for a job well done, are given the tools to complete your tasks and the time to care. None of this would come cheap, the Government would have to do some serious re-arranging of their coffers but as people we are judged by the way we care for the less fortunate and unfortunately, at the moment we are failing miserably.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Aged Care Homes are in a parlous state. I think there should be no "for profit" homes, all should be 'Not for Profit" or Government run. No-one should be able to make a profit off the backs of our elderly. All homes should be closely linked to or come under the auspices of a hospital to ensure medical needs are addressed.
We should re-evaluate our priorities, for too long chasing the dollar has been the greatest motive, we need to change that to a caring one, where you are adequately rewarded for a job well done, are given the tools to complete your tasks and the time to care. None of this would come cheap, the Government would have to do some serious re-arranging of their coffers but as people we are judged by the way we care for the less fortunate and unfortunately, at the moment we are failing miserably.

 

[Suzanne rose]

It's bloody scary getting old and thinking of aged care homes.
My grandmother worked for years in an aged home and patients were looked after, my uncle, her son is now in aged care and when I visit him I get depressed and very sad at seeing the patients in there. I hardly ever see staff there. I cant believe they only need one actual registered nurse !

Something needs to be done .

 

[Suemac]

Aged care workers provide an invaluable service to the community. There is comfort and relief in knowing that we will be taken care of when (or if) the time comes to move into an aged care home. But the industry, already in crisis for being understaffed and overburdened, has another problem – workers are leaving and do not feel there is much incentive to stay.

One aged care worker took to the social news website Reddit to vent and ask other employees in the sector if they are experiencing reduced hours.

The Redditor said: ‘Is this happening Australia-wide in the aged care sector (aged care homes) or just the rotten aged care company I work for?

‘They are reducing hours because the company said that it has gone over budget. They said this isn’t the only aged care company where reduced hours are happening.

‘This includes every worker in the company besides full-time employees such as kitchen staff, laundry staff, and afternoon PCAs (but not morning shift PCAs, they gain more dollars because the afternoon shift has less).

‘It’s absolutely s**t and I can’t help but feel like it’s a lie.’

View attachment 8405
Understaffed and overworked facilities struggle to provide the care their residents deserve. Credit: Matthias Zomer/Pexels

Many Redditors, who are not necessarily aged care workers, sympathised with the author.

One user said: ‘Gone over budget = We've realised we can squeeze more profit out of this facility by screwing over the staff even more.’

A reply to the comment said: ‘It’s both staff and residents.’

A third chimed in: ‘But especially residents. They pay for good care, and the staff are trying to do this, but how they are treated makes it harder to look out for the residents.’

Another said: ‘That's what happens when you privatise health care. Dollars take priority over the health and well-being of the frailest and dependent elderly in our communities.’

Australia has a mix of for-profit, not-for-profit, and government-operated nursing homes. The introduction of the 1997 Aged Care Act aimed to simplify funding and increase choice in care and, in turn, incentivised privatisation. Residential aged-care facilities began opting for low-skilled workers instead of nurses, reducing staff, and compromising the quality of care seniors receive to maximising profit.

One worker in a nursing home expressed exasperation: ‘We are short-staffed 80 per cent of the time. We are getting 16 and 17-year-old kids working at my place, nice kids but they can't cope and leave. There are also insufficient continence aids, a massive increase in work and duties, and the list goes on. I still love the residents, but I am looking for work outside the industry which I thought I would never do. I'm just done.’

Another user previously involved with the industry said: ‘I worked in a facility. Never again. Community age care is where I am now. You can look into that, just research the companies first.’

A Redditor was discouraged by the post: ‘And here I was, thinking about getting into aged care.’

Others cautioned them against joining: ‘Don't, for your own sake and the sake of everyone around you, stay away. It's a miserable combination of hard work, deeply unsatisfying results, and an executive culture that makes bankers look like charity workers.’

Some were more encouraging: ‘I work in aged care. Maybe you should try it. There are bad and great facilities. The people who care are the ones who can make a difference in the facility and the residents. Yes, we work hard and are short-staffed most of the time, but who else will do it? If you feel like you can step up and be a positive change, then do it.’

A Redditor responded: ‘It must be heartbreaking knowing not all residents are getting the care they need. You can't be expected to work an extra eight hours a day for free to overcome staff shortages. Like you say, though, if people like you leave, it will be even worse.’

There are government initiatives that encourage entry into the industry, such as ‘A Life Changing Life’ campaign and promote career growth for aged care registered nurses. However, the industry shortage continues and worsens with more workers leaving yearly.

A report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) found that Australia is already short of 35,000 workers needed to meet international standards of care. CEDA was also not optimistic about the future – it estimated that about 65,000 more would quit this year.

The sector already had workforce-related issues before 2020, which included staff shortages, poor working conditions, and abysmal wages. The COVID-19 pandemic did not help, with workers facing ‘crisis levels of exhaustion’.

While many aged care employees desire job security from the industry and the benefits that come with it, facilities have not been offering a clear pathway to becoming permanent employees or competitive compensation. ABC reported that a casual aged care employee averages $27.03 an hour, while a permanent part-time contract worker is paid $21.62 an hour. Others prefer a casual contract because there is at least a 25 per cent loading.

The federal government is also slow to support unions’ fight for a 25 per cent increase in wages in the Fair Work Commission.

Watch this feature by ABC covering the sector’s call for commitment to workforce funding:

All these inevitably impact the quality of care provided to residents. Three years ago, about 87 per cent of staff said they rush care of residents because they have too many tasks to accomplish, and 94 per cent said they don’t have time to talk and connect to them. More than a third do not see themselves working in residential aged care for much longer. Considering the data from the CEDA report, we can assume that the numbers have worsened since then.

So folks, what do you think? Does this change your desire to receive care in aged care facilities should you need it? Let us know in the comments.

Our senior family members deserve better! This is tragic!

 

[Linwar]

These private facilities are after one thing profit above care cut corners to save the mighty dollar for the shareholders and the previous government feed money into the private sector

The Aged care facilities, ie Estia, and worse of all Arcare which claims to have a 5-star rating to con people into thinking they are going to get the best care because it is 5star are dreaming. There is NO rating in aged care & if there was Arcare would not be getting 5 stars I can guarantee you that. I have worked there as I work for an agency and the dirty towels are turned towards the wall in the bathroom, sheets that are dirty at the top are turned to the bottom, they are always short staffed....always. Most of the staff are from India and Pakistan and can hardly speak English so residents are confused. How do these people complete competencies if they can't read English let alone do tests????? A lot of the residents do not get showers when they are "alloted " showers even when they smell. Some residents are only given 10 minutes to be fed because "there are others to feed "The owners of Arcare are a Pakistani business group and they bring all these staff into Australia on 457 visas, thereby the Australian Government pays half their wages. The whole thing is a rort and the people who pay for this rort are the Australian workers by way of taxes......thats why the Aged care System is broken beyond repair. Dont let me start on some of the other places that should be closed down.

 

[Stinker]

As an older person I would like to stay in my own home for as long as I can.
I do have a lady that takes me shopping every second week, she is kind and very considerate, but I can still think for myself, occasionally becoming confused or missing an appointment. But that is now who knows what to-morrow will bring.

 

[Tipsy]

Aged care workers provide an invaluable service to the community. There is comfort and relief in knowing that we will be taken care of when (or if) the time comes to move into an aged care home. But the industry, already in crisis for being understaffed and overburdened, has another problem – workers are leaving and do not feel there is much incentive to stay.

One aged care worker took to the social news website Reddit to vent and ask other employees in the sector if they are experiencing reduced hours.

The Redditor said: ‘Is this happening Australia-wide in the aged care sector (aged care homes) or just the rotten aged care company I work for?

‘They are reducing hours because the company said that it has gone over budget. They said this isn’t the only aged care company where reduced hours are happening.

‘This includes every worker in the company besides full-time employees such as kitchen staff, laundry staff, and afternoon PCAs (but not morning shift PCAs, they gain more dollars because the afternoon shift has less).

‘It’s absolutely s**t and I can’t help but feel like it’s a lie.’

View attachment 8405
Understaffed and overworked facilities struggle to provide the care their residents deserve. Credit: Matthias Zomer/Pexels

Many Redditors, who are not necessarily aged care workers, sympathised with the author.

One user said: ‘Gone over budget = We've realised we can squeeze more profit out of this facility by screwing over the staff even more.’

A reply to the comment said: ‘It’s both staff and residents.’

A third chimed in: ‘But especially residents. They pay for good care, and the staff are trying to do this, but how they are treated makes it harder to look out for the residents.’

Another said: ‘That's what happens when you privatise health care. Dollars take priority over the health and well-being of the frailest and dependent elderly in our communities.’

Australia has a mix of for-profit, not-for-profit, and government-operated nursing homes. The introduction of the 1997 Aged Care Act aimed to simplify funding and increase choice in care and, in turn, incentivised privatisation. Residential aged-care facilities began opting for low-skilled workers instead of nurses, reducing staff, and compromising the quality of care seniors receive to maximising profit.

One worker in a nursing home expressed exasperation: ‘We are short-staffed 80 per cent of the time. We are getting 16 and 17-year-old kids working at my place, nice kids but they can't cope and leave. There are also insufficient continence aids, a massive increase in work and duties, and the list goes on. I still love the residents, but I am looking for work outside the industry which I thought I would never do. I'm just done.’

Another user previously involved with the industry said: ‘I worked in a facility. Never again. Community age care is where I am now. You can look into that, just research the companies first.’

A Redditor was discouraged by the post: ‘And here I was, thinking about getting into aged care.’

Others cautioned them against joining: ‘Don't, for your own sake and the sake of everyone around you, stay away. It's a miserable combination of hard work, deeply unsatisfying results, and an executive culture that makes bankers look like charity workers.’

Some were more encouraging: ‘I work in aged care. Maybe you should try it. There are bad and great facilities. The people who care are the ones who can make a difference in the facility and the residents. Yes, we work hard and are short-staffed most of the time, but who else will do it? If you feel like you can step up and be a positive change, then do it.’

A Redditor responded: ‘It must be heartbreaking knowing not all residents are getting the care they need. You can't be expected to work an extra eight hours a day for free to overcome staff shortages. Like you say, though, if people like you leave, it will be even worse.’

There are government initiatives that encourage entry into the industry, such as ‘A Life Changing Life’ campaign and promote career growth for aged care registered nurses. However, the industry shortage continues and worsens with more workers leaving yearly.

A report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) found that Australia is already short of 35,000 workers needed to meet international standards of care. CEDA was also not optimistic about the future – it estimated that about 65,000 more would quit this year.

The sector already had workforce-related issues before 2020, which included staff shortages, poor working conditions, and abysmal wages. The COVID-19 pandemic did not help, with workers facing ‘crisis levels of exhaustion’.

While many aged care employees desire job security from the industry and the benefits that come with it, facilities have not been offering a clear pathway to becoming permanent employees or competitive compensation. ABC reported that a casual aged care employee averages $27.03 an hour, while a permanent part-time contract worker is paid $21.62 an hour. Others prefer a casual contract because there is at least a 25 per cent loading.

The federal government is also slow to support unions’ fight for a 25 per cent increase in wages in the Fair Work Commission.

Watch this feature by ABC covering the sector’s call for commitment to workforce funding:

All these inevitably impact the quality of care provided to residents. Three years ago, about 87 per cent of staff said they rush care of residents because they have too many tasks to accomplish, and 94 per cent said they don’t have time to talk and connect to them. More than a third do not see themselves working in residential aged care for much longer. Considering the data from the CEDA report, we can assume that the numbers have worsened since then.

So folks, what do you think? Does this change your desire to receive care in aged care facilities should you need it? Let us know in the comments.

I am 73 with a multitude of health problems and I will NOT being going into any aged care home which leaves me 2 choices.... The CSI body farm or jail, and at this moment in time I would prefer jail as I am still breathing, games Internet gym full medical and dental 3 good meals a day and full security even workshops if one was up for that. oh and TV not that there is anything watching on TV and 60% of the news is always lies.....

 

[Ricci]

I am 73 with a multitude of health problems and I will NOT being going into any aged care home which leaves me 2 choices.... The CSI body farm or jail, and at this moment in time I would prefer jail as I am still breathing, games Internet gym full medical and dental 3 good meals a day and full security even workshops if one was up for that. oh and TV not that there is anything watching on TV and 60% of the news is always lies.....

You have obviously had nothing to do with an actual prison, I'm laughing at your ideas as they bear no relationship to the actual conditions. Full medical - in emergencies only, Dental - wait list of more than 5 years, more like 10 if you need dentures, no internet, questionable gym facilities more likely none. You do get 3 meals a day but most don't eat them as they are rubbish. Workshops are rare to non-existent as they can't get people to run them and if you want to choose what you watch on tv you have to buy your own, have it in your cell and if you share your cell you have to listen through headphones that you also have to buy.

 

[annvic]

I think in the back of our minds we all feel the despair in the handling of the elderly in aged care. There are problems with 1)greedy owners who are in it only for the money. 2)lack and under-staffing because greedy owners refuse to pay more for quality 3)special interest groups, committees, lobbists are only good in identifying problems - but what about the resolutions? the results after their findings - have things improved? I blame the politicians because it is so easy to make this a campaign issue (wanting to tackle the problems/end the crises, etc etc ) all done for more votes but after the elections - then what? Taking care of the elderly is a very difficult job and the lack of recognition for good staffing is greatly lacking. The impression I get is any Joe on the street could apply to be a carer and it is these people who end up beating elderly patients who do not follow orders..Something must be done now. No more talking for the politicians.

 

[Riorita]

Aged care workers provide an invaluable service to the community. There is comfort and relief in knowing that we will be taken care of when (or if) the time comes to move into an aged care home. But the industry, already in crisis for being understaffed and overburdened, has another problem – workers are leaving and do not feel there is much incentive to stay.

One aged care worker took to the social news website Reddit to vent and ask other employees in the sector if they are experiencing reduced hours.

The Redditor said: ‘Is this happening Australia-wide in the aged care sector (aged care homes) or just the rotten aged care company I work for?

‘They are reducing hours because the company said that it has gone over budget. They said this isn’t the only aged care company where reduced hours are happening.

‘This includes every worker in the company besides full-time employees such as kitchen staff, laundry staff, and afternoon PCAs (but not morning shift PCAs, they gain more dollars because the afternoon shift has less).

‘It’s absolutely s**t and I can’t help but feel like it’s a lie.’

View attachment 8405
Understaffed and overworked facilities struggle to provide the care their residents deserve. Credit: Matthias Zomer/Pexels

Many Redditors, who are not necessarily aged care workers, sympathised with the author.

One user said: ‘Gone over budget = We've realised we can squeeze more profit out of this facility by screwing over the staff even more.’

A reply to the comment said: ‘It’s both staff and residents.’

A third chimed in: ‘But especially residents. They pay for good care, and the staff are trying to do this, but how they are treated makes it harder to look out for the residents.’

Another said: ‘That's what happens when you privatise health care. Dollars take priority over the health and well-being of the frailest and dependent elderly in our communities.’

Australia has a mix of for-profit, not-for-profit, and government-operated nursing homes. The introduction of the 1997 Aged Care Act aimed to simplify funding and increase choice in care and, in turn, incentivised privatisation. Residential aged-care facilities began opting for low-skilled workers instead of nurses, reducing staff, and compromising the quality of care seniors receive to maximising profit.

One worker in a nursing home expressed exasperation: ‘We are short-staffed 80 per cent of the time. We are getting 16 and 17-year-old kids working at my place, nice kids but they can't cope and leave. There are also insufficient continence aids, a massive increase in work and duties, and the list goes on. I still love the residents, but I am looking for work outside the industry which I thought I would never do. I'm just done.’

Another user previously involved with the industry said: ‘I worked in a facility. Never again. Community age care is where I am now. You can look into that, just research the companies first.’

A Redditor was discouraged by the post: ‘And here I was, thinking about getting into aged care.’

Others cautioned them against joining: ‘Don't, for your own sake and the sake of everyone around you, stay away. It's a miserable combination of hard work, deeply unsatisfying results, and an executive culture that makes bankers look like charity workers.’

Some were more encouraging: ‘I work in aged care. Maybe you should try it. There are bad and great facilities. The people who care are the ones who can make a difference in the facility and the residents. Yes, we work hard and are short-staffed most of the time, but who else will do it? If you feel like you can step up and be a positive change, then do it.’

A Redditor responded: ‘It must be heartbreaking knowing not all residents are getting the care they need. You can't be expected to work an extra eight hours a day for free to overcome staff shortages. Like you say, though, if people like you leave, it will be even worse.’

There are government initiatives that encourage entry into the industry, such as ‘A Life Changing Life’ campaign and promote career growth for aged care registered nurses. However, the industry shortage continues and worsens with more workers leaving yearly.

A report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) found that Australia is already short of 35,000 workers needed to meet international standards of care. CEDA was also not optimistic about the future – it estimated that about 65,000 more would quit this year.

The sector already had workforce-related issues before 2020, which included staff shortages, poor working conditions, and abysmal wages. The COVID-19 pandemic did not help, with workers facing ‘crisis levels of exhaustion’.

While many aged care employees desire job security from the industry and the benefits that come with it, facilities have not been offering a clear pathway to becoming permanent employees or competitive compensation. ABC reported that a casual aged care employee averages $27.03 an hour, while a permanent part-time contract worker is paid $21.62 an hour. Others prefer a casual contract because there is at least a 25 per cent loading.

The federal government is also slow to support unions’ fight for a 25 per cent increase in wages in the Fair Work Commission.

Watch this feature by ABC covering the sector’s call for commitment to workforce funding:

All these inevitably impact the quality of care provided to residents. Three years ago, about 87 per cent of staff said they rush care of residents because they have too many tasks to accomplish, and 94 per cent said they don’t have time to talk and connect to them. More than a third do not see themselves working in residential aged care for much longer. Considering the data from the CEDA report, we can assume that the numbers have worsened since then.

So folks, what do you think? Does this change your desire to receive care in aged care facilities should you need it? Let us know in the comments.

 

[Vet543]

Aged Care Homes are in a parlous state. I think there should be no "for profit" homes, all should be 'Not for Profit" or Government run. No-one should be able to make a profit off the backs of our elderly. All homes should be closely linked to or come under the auspices of a hospital to ensure medical needs are addressed.
We should re-evaluate our priorities, for too long chasing the dollar has been the greatest motive, we need to change that to a caring one, where you are adequately rewarded for a job well done, are given the tools to complete your tasks and the time to care. None of this would come cheap, the Government would have to do some serious re-arranging of their coffers but as people we are judged by the way we care for the less fortunate and unfortunately, at the moment we are failing miserably.

I am on the verge of getting age care. My relatives of late have all been so well cared for in their aged care homes I had no fear of a collapse of the system. The Solution is REMOVE THE SHAREHOLDERS and take away the greed of making money out of the older Australians who made this country for us all to live in safely and unthreatened by money-making greed. NO SHAREHOLDERS WANTED.

 

[Lauren]

Aged care workers provide an invaluable service to the community. There is comfort and relief in knowing that we will be taken care of when (or if) the time comes to move into an aged care home. But the industry, already in crisis for being understaffed and overburdened, has another problem – workers are leaving and do not feel there is much incentive to stay.

One aged care worker took to the social news website Reddit to vent and ask other employees in the sector if they are experiencing reduced hours.

The Redditor said: ‘Is this happening Australia-wide in the aged care sector (aged care homes) or just the rotten aged care company I work for?

‘They are reducing hours because the company said that it has gone over budget. They said this isn’t the only aged care company where reduced hours are happening.

‘This includes every worker in the company besides full-time employees such as kitchen staff, laundry staff, and afternoon PCAs (but not morning shift PCAs, they gain more dollars because the afternoon shift has less).

‘It’s absolutely s**t and I can’t help but feel like it’s a lie.’

View attachment 8405
Understaffed and overworked facilities struggle to provide the care their residents deserve. Credit: Matthias Zomer/Pexels

Many Redditors, who are not necessarily aged care workers, sympathised with the author.

One user said: ‘Gone over budget = We've realised we can squeeze more profit out of this facility by screwing over the staff even more.’

A reply to the comment said: ‘It’s both staff and residents.’

A third chimed in: ‘But especially residents. They pay for good care, and the staff are trying to do this, but how they are treated makes it harder to look out for the residents.’

Another said: ‘That's what happens when you privatise health care. Dollars take priority over the health and well-being of the frailest and dependent elderly in our communities.’

Australia has a mix of for-profit, not-for-profit, and government-operated nursing homes. The introduction of the 1997 Aged Care Act aimed to simplify funding and increase choice in care and, in turn, incentivised privatisation. Residential aged-care facilities began opting for low-skilled workers instead of nurses, reducing staff, and compromising the quality of care seniors receive to maximising profit.

One worker in a nursing home expressed exasperation: ‘We are short-staffed 80 per cent of the time. We are getting 16 and 17-year-old kids working at my place, nice kids but they can't cope and leave. There are also insufficient continence aids, a massive increase in work and duties, and the list goes on. I still love the residents, but I am looking for work outside the industry which I thought I would never do. I'm just done.’

Another user previously involved with the industry said: ‘I worked in a facility. Never again. Community age care is where I am now. You can look into that, just research the companies first.’

A Redditor was discouraged by the post: ‘And here I was, thinking about getting into aged care.’

Others cautioned them against joining: ‘Don't, for your own sake and the sake of everyone around you, stay away. It's a miserable combination of hard work, deeply unsatisfying results, and an executive culture that makes bankers look like charity workers.’

Some were more encouraging: ‘I work in aged care. Maybe you should try it. There are bad and great facilities. The people who care are the ones who can make a difference in the facility and the residents. Yes, we work hard and are short-staffed most of the time, but who else will do it? If you feel like you can step up and be a positive change, then do it.’

A Redditor responded: ‘It must be heartbreaking knowing not all residents are getting the care they need. You can't be expected to work an extra eight hours a day for free to overcome staff shortages. Like you say, though, if people like you leave, it will be even worse.’

There are government initiatives that encourage entry into the industry, such as ‘A Life Changing Life’ campaign and promote career growth for aged care registered nurses. However, the industry shortage continues and worsens with more workers leaving yearly.

A report by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) found that Australia is already short of 35,000 workers needed to meet international standards of care. CEDA was also not optimistic about the future – it estimated that about 65,000 more would quit this year.

The sector already had workforce-related issues before 2020, which included staff shortages, poor working conditions, and abysmal wages. The COVID-19 pandemic did not help, with workers facing ‘crisis levels of exhaustion’.

While many aged care employees desire job security from the industry and the benefits that come with it, facilities have not been offering a clear pathway to becoming permanent employees or competitive compensation. ABC reported that a casual aged care employee averages $27.03 an hour, while a permanent part-time contract worker is paid $21.62 an hour. Others prefer a casual contract because there is at least a 25 per cent loading.

The federal government is also slow to support unions’ fight for a 25 per cent increase in wages in the Fair Work Commission.

Watch this feature by ABC covering the sector’s call for commitment to workforce funding:

All these inevitably impact the quality of care provided to residents. Three years ago, about 87 per cent of staff said they rush care of residents because they have too many tasks to accomplish, and 94 per cent said they don’t have time to talk and connect to them. More than a third do not see themselves working in residential aged care for much longer. Considering the data from the CEDA report, we can assume that the numbers have worsened since then.

So folks, what do you think? Does this change your desire to receive care in aged care facilities should you need it? Let us know in the comments.

Obviously the wages need to go up immediately, not many work for such a low wage. Someone must make one from these homes and as we know the food can be unpalatable and not enough.
I feel for the ones that love their work and are dedicated to elderly care but not receiving good wages.
Do they have a union. If so it's not doing much.

 

[Lauren]

Obviously the wages need to go up immediately, not many work for such a low wage. Someone must make one from these homes and as we know the food can be unpalatable and not enough.
I feel for the ones that love their work and are dedicated to elderly care but not receiving good wages.
Do they have a union. If so it's not doing much.

 

[Tipsy]

You have obviously had nothing to do with an actual prison, I'm laughing at your ideas as they bear no relationship to the actual conditions. Full medical - in emergencies only, Dental - wait list of more than 5 years, more like 10 if you need dentures, no internet, questionable gym facilities more likely none. You do get 3 meals a day but most don't eat them as they are rubbish. Workshops are rare to non-existent as they can't get people to run them and if you want to choose what you watch on tv you have to buy your own, have it in your cell and if you share your cell you have to listen through headphones that you also have to buy.

Sound very much like a Aged care facility

 

[Maddison Dwyer]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to issue an apology on behalf of the SDC team. In this article, we used the term 'low-skilled' to refer to care workers without nursing qualifications. It has since been brought to our attention that this term is no longer used. We would like to retract our use of 'low-skilled' and acknowledge it is an antiquated term, and we have since reworked this part of the article.

We in no way, shape, or form ever wanted any aged care workers to be offended by this article. We acknowledge that this job would be incredibly difficult and we admire the Australian men and women working in this industry.

Please know we will learn from this mistake and it will not be made again!

Thank you so much for your understanding,
Maddie and the SDC Team.