Today, Australian Ageing Agenda is launching a new online experience for aged care professionals. Along with our free website content, you can now subscribe to our premium content service, where you’ll gain access to exclusive long-form articles, analysis, expert opinions and key sector insights. Here you’ll discover new articles on staff retention, professionalising the aged care workforce, and key stakeholder views including from Aged & Community Care Providers Association CEO Tom Symondson. There are other long-form articles on recent steps forward in gerontological nursing, homelike ca ..read more

Cost of living pressures are likely to be central to this month’s Federal budget but questions remain over what measures will focus on addressing the aged care sector’s challenges. Many in the sector are eager to hear updated details on the new Aged Care Act and home care program, confirmation of funding for the next pay rise for aged care workers, and the government’s response to the recommendations of the Aged Care Taskforce. Commentary this week from Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells has hinted there could be news for the sector in relation to home care within the volumes handed down by tr ..read more

Workforce churn has long been a challenge for the aged care sector. According to data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, between July and September 2023 alone,  almost 10,000 nurses and care workers left their residential aged care service. “Losing 10,000 workers in one quarter is tough, and on track to losing 25 per cent over the year,” Professor Denise Jepsen from Macquarie University tells Australian Ageing Agenda. As a result, the sector suffers from acute knowledge loss, says Jepsen – an organisational psychologist whose research in the aged care sector focuses on e ..read more

An aged care worker registration scheme including minimum education and ongoing training requirements is the missing piece of current aged care regulatory reforms addressing workforce problems. Without this, there is a risk too little progress will be made on developing the care workforce and improving the status of aged care work. Yet progress is critical to building a sustainable aged care workforce that can meet current and future care demand. Increases in award minimum pay rates and current reforms to aged care regulation are moves in the right direction. However, more needs to be done to ..read more

The recent Culturally Appropriate Care Forum – hosted by the Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing and the Multicultural Communities Council of Victoria – offered me a wonderful opportunity to listen and learn. This online forum brought together hundreds of people from across the country to advocate for a more inclusive aged care system, and featured presentations and panel discussions on the Specialisation Verification Framework, policy advocacy, trauma-informed care and culturally and linguistically diverse consumer voices. Whenever I hear about the incredible breadth and depth of work tha ..read more

Despite the royal commission’s calls for a deep cultural shift towards wellness and prevention and the valuing and integration of allied health, there are no plans for funding increases to access these services. And despite government support for the recommendations, there is still no routine hearing screening and assessment included in the provision of aged care services. With reduced access to services such as audiology linked to poor outcomes in aged care – including risk of dementia, mental health problems, malnutrition and falls – at what cost does this inaction come? Audiology Australia ..read more

The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care has published a national medicines standard that aims to curb the inappropriate use of psychotropic medicines among people with dementia and other cognitive impairments or disability. The Psychotropic Medicines in Cognitive Disability or Impairment Clinical Care Standard outlines actions to ensure the responsible and appropriate use of psychotropic medicines and safer, more effective treatment practices. In the aged care sector alone 61 per cent of residents are given at least one psychotropic medicine in their first three months i ..read more

South Australian provider Helping Hand has secured over $17 million in federal funding to improve and expand its aged care homes in Whyalla. The plans include upgrading all shared rooms to individual rooms with private bathrooms and 12 additional rooms at Yeltana Residential Care and improved amenities and an six rooms at Copperhouse Court home. Announced on Thursday, the $17.2 million funding boost means more Whyalla residents will be able to access quality care locally and spend their final years close to their family and community, said Helping Hand Chief executive officer Chris Stewart. Ch ..read more

A new alliance connects Tell Touch’s feedback management system to Swift Access-enabled televisions, allowing residents to complete quarterly surveys on their TV. The partnership is based on shared values – especially around transparent communications improving quality of life – and aims to simplify compliance with Aged Care Quality Standard 6, say the aged care technology vendors in a statement.  Tell Touch’s system – which collects feedback from residents and families via the web, app and kiosks for aged care homes to action – also incorporates the quarterly survey required under the Na ..read more

Applications close this Friday for residential aged care services wanting to take advantage of the regulator and government’s free menu review and personalised feedback program. An initiative of the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and the Department of Health and Aged Care, the Menu and Mealtime Review Program will support a limited number of aged care services with expert assessment and recommendations from accredited practising dietitians. This program includes an evaluation of the menu, dining environment and mealtime experience and confidential feedback and recommendation ..read more