workforce
Recognising those who care
Why investing in our aged
care employees is an
investment in our future.
By Kerry Mann
W
ednesday 7 August 2019 was Aged Care Employee
Day, celebrating the hundreds of thousands of people
who work tirelessly in the aged care industry. It also
served as a timely and important reminder to make certain that we
are supporting, educating and retaining staff – not only to provide
the best possible care and service for those who require it, but to
ensure that we will be able to accommodate anticipated future
demands for aged care staff, which will increase over time in line
with Australia’s ageing population.
As CEO of a group of aged care and retirement residences
in Sydney and the Central Coast, an important part of my role
is to ensure that our staff feel both respected and appreciated.
Being proactive and ‘walking the talk’ by creating a ‘can do’
culture and being committed to ongoing investment is often not
communicated nor implemented well. This can only be successful
by providing effective channels of communication in order to
best support and nurture our teams. Taking the initiative in this
area is vital for the development of both our staff and the wider
aged care community. Our industry needs to prioritise putting
measures in place that ultimately leads to securing and retaining
committed and highly skilled people to ensure we are providing
a superior level of care and service, and to avoid potential skilled
staffing shortages in future.
The figures speak for themselves. The Australian Bureau of
Statistics reported that in 2017, people aged 65 or older made up
15 per cent of Australia’s population. This is projected to increase
to between 21 and 23 per cent in 2066. There were 493,000
people aged 85 years or older in Australia in 2017, making up
2 per cent of the population. This group is projected to grow
rapidly, reaching between 3.6 and 4.4 per cent in 2066. These
figures demonstrate that aged care staff are required now more
40 agedcareinsite.com.au
than ever before, with the need for highly skilled workers only
continuing to increase over time.
Aged care employees are the face of our industry and make an
enormous daily contribution to the lives of older Australians. This
includes all those who are involved in care and service, including
but by no means limited to registered nurses; enrolled nurses;
care staff; chefs; hospitality, maintenance and administration staff;
and those who provide activity programs to ensure residents are
physically and mentally stimulated and encouraged to continue
their important contribution and role in the community.
Aged care employees are often an important connector
between residents and those most important to them, providing
comfort and support, particularly during the initial days of settling
into an aged care community and ongoing as care needs change.
The close relationships that I see forged between staff and
those they care for are truly rewarding. Dedication to such
a fulfilling but at times challenging profession is what makes
those in aged care worthy of our recognition and respect, as
they continue to contribute both their energy and time to our
ageing community.
As someone who is fortunate enough to find myself in a
leadership role, it is my personal and professional commitment
to ensure that I am putting plans and actions in place that let
our teams know that I am dedicated to nurturing, mentoring,
educating and retaining staff. Committing resources to each team
member’s career development is key to ensuring we are providing
the best possible care and quality of life for our residents while
supporting personal growth for our staff.
It is important that staff have access to ongoing training,
guaranteeing that they can perform at a level that meets or exceeds
the expectations of residents, their families and loved ones.
Providing a sustainable and effective system for staff, including
training, reward and recognition, and giving staff the opportunity
to grow within an organisation will go a long way in ensuring job
satisfaction and longevity among those committed to aged care.
Investing in our aged care employees is an investment in the
future of our industry, and most importantly, an investment in
those we entrust, respect and appreciate for their commitment in
providing care and service to our older Australians. ■
Kerry Mann is CEO of Cranbrook Care.