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Going the extra mile
Royal commission nod for community care worker .
By Dallas Bastian
In the counsel assisting ’ s final
submissions to the aged care royal commission , between detailed accounts of workforce and governance issues , came the uplifting story of a community care worker who walked 6km to visit a dying client .
In March this year , Marlene Field from HammondCare At Home , was asked to drop by a client ’ s house for an evening visit when she had to pull over after her engine light came on and the car ’ s temperature rose .
Field said : “ It was about 5.50pm but I thought , ‘ It ’ s not that far away ’, so I rang scheduling and asked them to contact Patricia ’ s son and let him know that I was on my way but I was on foot . I would worry about my car later .
“ I thought to myself , ‘ It ’ s just around the corner and over that hill ’ but as I got walking – and it was a hot day – I realised it may have been further than I imagined .
“ I ’ ve always put
the client first , and we have to support a good death .
“ Along the way I saw a woman walking two beagles and as I drew near , one of them escaped its harness and was heading towards the busy road , so I grabbed the beagle and returned it as well . I thought , ‘ I was meant to break down to save that beagle !’”
Field arrived at her client ’ s around 40 minutes later . “ It ’ s what we do ,” she said . “ Look , I ’ m not really someone to ask for a lot of help . It never occurred to me to ring scheduling and ask them to send someone else .
“ I ’ ve got two legs , and I knew it was important that it was someone the family knew .”
Field was surprised there had been publicity about her story , including through the royal commission but said she didn ’ t do it for a “ pat on the back ” but because “ this lady was dying , and we put the client first ”.
“ I ’ ve always put the client first , and we have to support a good death .”
In their submission , the counsel assisting said while the COVID-19 outbreak has revealed the structural weaknesses in the aged care workforce , it has also thrown up “ a number of inspirational examples of the dedication of aged care workers ”.
As well as Field ’ s story , the lawyers shone the spotlight on a Perth-based nurse who volunteered to come to Melbourne at the height of the crisis in aged care homes in early September and later tested positive to the virus .
“ There are of course many other such stories some of which have been the subject of evidence in this inquiry ,” the counsel assisting said . “ It is high time that this dedication and commitment by aged care workers to those for whom they provide care is properly recognised and rewarded .
“ The vast majority are women and the low pay they receive is nothing less than the aged care system exploiting the goodness of their hearts .
“ As we said in February , aged care workers do not need to be told they are heroes . They need better wages and conditions and enough colleagues to be able to complete their work safely and to the standard that they consider is appropriate .
“ That is how their work can be properly respected and acknowledged .” ■
Community care worker Marlene Field . Photo : HammondCare
6 agedcareinsite . com . au