Albanese fails to guarantee mandated aged care ratios
Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has committed to implementing all recommendations set to be handed down at the conclusion of the Aged Care Royal Commission in November next year but stopped short of guaranteeing mandated ratios across the embattled sector. Speaking at the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation’s (ANMF) 14th Biennial National Conference in Melbourne last […]
Aged care workers underpaid, undervalued and short-staffed, Royal Commission told
Many personal care workers (PCWs) in aged care believe they would be better off financially working as supermarket checkout operators, the Aged Care Royal Commission heard on Day 3 of this week’s Melbourne hearing examining workforce issues. Giving evidence as part of a panel made up of employer and union representatives, Australian Nursing and Midwifery […]
Registration of aged care workforce protects public
The ANMF has reiterated its call for registration of the personal care workforce at the Aged Care Royal Commission this week. The week-long Melbourne hearings focus on the aged care workforce, including capacity and training. Director Operations & Strategy of the ANMF (SA Branch) who is also Deputy Chair of the Aged Care Industry Reference […]
Government accused of ignoring actions to fix aged care
The federal government has failed to provide a detailed response to recommended strategic actions outlined in a report delivered by its own Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce review, the Aged Care Royal Commission heard on the opening day of this week’s Melbourne hearing. Professor John Pollaers, Chair of the Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce, developed […]
How nurse practitioners are filling the gaps in aged care
An elderly woman living in residential aged care who had just returned from hospital after having her fractured hip repaired lay screaming in agony. Carers did their best to assist but without an RN on site, appropriate pain relief was unable to be provided. “There was no registered nurse to provide any pain relief. She […]
NPs urged to lead push to improve aged care
Nurse practitioners should actively engage with the current Aged Care Royal Commission, champion nursing and use their expertise to lead change across the embattled sector. Australian College of Nurse Practitioners (ACNP) Vice President Amanda Davies delivered the call to action during a keynote address to delegates at this year’s ACNP National Conference in Melbourne that […]
‘Beaten, broken and exhausted’: former aged care manager speaks out
Beaten, broken and exhausted are the words Gay Taylor used to describe how she felt after 12 months working as an aged care facility manager. The pressure to provide quality care to aged care residents without adequate staffing was relentless, Ms Taylor revealed to about 600 delegates in a passionate and emotive presentation at the […]
Inside Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds
“Could the secret to improving the lives of the very old possibly lie with the very young?” poses narrator Annabel Crabb in the opening scenes. TV viewers are set to find out with new ABC documentary series Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds, a unique and heartwarming social experiment where a group of Sydney […]
Webinar to focus on Aged Care Royal Commission
The Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG) is hosting an upcoming webinar on the current Aged Care Royal Commission that will provide insights into its operation and inform AAG members about how to make submissions and their importance. To be held on 28 August, the forum features a panel of leading experts, including ANMF Federal Secretary […]
Why I gave evidence to the Royal Commission
Registered nurse Emma Murphy had just clocked off after a stressful shift at one of the handful of Brisbane aged care homes she works across each week. A resident had fallen and required a hospital transfer, followed quickly by another incident that left little time for her to properly complete all tasks. It was a […]