industry & reform huge change with Prime Minister Howard privatising aged care .
We wanted our readers to understand how policy has developed and what ’ s happened and why policy has developed in different ways . But in looking at that , also seeing synergies between aged care now and aged care when Australia was first settled .
We also wanted to demonstrate the importance of having an aged care workforce that ’ s respected , and that is paid a living wage , that there ’ s enough of them , the importance of a skilled workforce and the importance of having a career progression . But we also wanted to point out the significance and the differences with rural and remote ageing . We wanted to be particularly focused on that .
If we keep doing the same things as we ’ ve always done , we ’ re going to keep having the same poor outcomes . So we need people to be informed of history so that we can enact meaningful change in the future .
How do you think we can reform the aged care system so people in residential care can live a happy life ? We need the quality of staffing to enable that real person-centred environment and person-centred respectful approach to older people . Being aware of the individual , of what was important to them in their past , and being able to interact with them about those things – so we need staffing that ’ s well-educated and well-respected .
We can ’ t expect respect for our residents in aged care if we don ’ t respect the staff looking after them . They need to be paid appropriately . We need to make sure they have meaningful , impactful education , not just sitting in front of a screen . We need to make sure that there ’ s career progression for them and that it ’ s sufficient to provide the care that ’ s needed .
We also need that transparency of government funding . We need to make sure that there ’ s no syphoning off and that the money that ’ s paid for care actually goes to care . And we also need to be mindful of cultural issues , food preferences , and the particular needs of rural and remote and the smaller aged care facilities .
What outcomes are you hoping for with the new Labor government ? I applaud the Labor Party wanting 24- hour registered nurse coverage . However , that might be something to aspire to . It won ’ t be immediately available , especially for rural and smaller aged care facilities , but we need to think of other ways of doing things .
We also need that pay increase for our workers . And again , we need to make sure that our smaller facilities are protected and enhanced . And we need to make sure that there ’ s education opportunities to provide the numbers of staff and the skills of staff that are needed .
Most people want to stay home as long as possible . How can people age well outside of residential aged care ? It ’ s looking after ourselves across our lifespan and not just waiting until we ’ re older to start thinking about healthy ageing . But there is insufficient community services to support older people . People can wait months for community services once they ’ re assessed . As a society , we need to consider older people in whatever decision is being made .
If people want information , they ’ re often directed to websites . Now , there ’ s a lot of older people who don ’ t have computers and aren ’ t computer literate . We need to be thinking about them and not just assume everyone has a computer . There ’ s also issues with connectedness with telephones and services being available to answer the queries .
Having transport for older people to move around their communities is a big issue , and connectedness in general . There is an awful lot of isolation in our communities . We need to be thinking about who our neighbours are , how often we are interacting with them , and how we can address this awful isolation of older people ?
There ’ s an awful lot of isolation that was exacerbated during COVID . So that ’ s a matter of connecting up with people who might be living alone , ensuring that they do have the provision of services that will connect them with a group or their community , or whatever is available .
It ’ s also about being aware of who your neighbour is , and if you have elderly neighbours , to make contact with them to go and say hello . It ’ s really sad when you hear that the only contact people have is the delivery of Meals on Wheels or the postman coming .
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We can ’ t expect respect for our residents if we don ’ t respect the staff .
Why do you think it ’ s so important for older people to be treated with dignity and respect ? It ’ s a human right . Too often when we hear of instances of poor care , the appreciation of the person and the humanness and the value of a person , no matter what their situation , is very much missing .
It ’ s a cultural thing . Older people may not be able to contribute any more , they might be hidden away in an aged care facility , but they ’ re still a human being . They still deserve respect and they should be treated with dignity as we all want to be .
Don ’ t we all want to have our values , our culture , our preferences respected no matter where we are and no matter how functionally able we are to access our wants and needs independently ?
I think respect might be a catch-cry for the next few years . We are not seeing a lot of respect in our community in lots of instances , but it ’ s especially important for older people who have lived very fruitful lives . They ’ ve contributed to our society . They ’ ve made our society what it is and they , just like every other human being , deserve respect .
How do you hope your book influences people that read it ? The reason I wanted to have a book was because I noticed students weren ’ t reading textbooks about ageing . I wanted it to be engaging . I wanted it to be real . So that ’ s when I approached Denise , my co-editor , and asked her , ‘ How do I get students to read textbooks ?’ She said , ‘ It ’ s like the movies . You capture their hearts , and you engage their mind .’
We ’ ve written a book that ’ s real . It ’ s based on real-life stories of older people . We ’ ve engaged with older people to write the book . We ’ ve also engaged with clinicians and researchers , and we ’ ve made it real based on case studies . And it entices the reader to read what ’ s in the book , but also to find out more .
People who have read it , who aren ’ t students , have told us that they ’ ve learned a lot about living and enhancing their ageing experience . We ’ ve made it so that people want to read more and go and find out more . ■ agedcareinsite . com . au 17