The individuals concerned are not doctors or nurses but could deliver elderly care.
Crucial roles of direct-care attendants to aged care homes are usually neglected even by the family members of the elderly people in homes.
Activities of helping from shower to chatting could be of huge effect to the elders which would comprise most of the day’s work.
The demand for these roles is high considering that the population ages. It is expected in 2050 that the workforce should double or triple.
According to a study done by Aged Care Royal Commission, low pay and status perception are the hindrances to the recruitment of good staff in aged care.
However, in Loxton in South Australia, came up with a program comprised of free training and scholarships for local population interested working in the said sector.
Sally Goode, the incumbent presiding officer of Loxton and District Health Advisory Council told that the program, in general, showed how the community value and take into much regard aged care sectors. However, she also admitted that high level of care for the ageing population is also expected.
Ms. Goode told that there was a time when there was no legal requirement for anyone working in aged care to acquire Certificate III.
She admitted her hopes that such aspect would change as the result of the deliverance of the Royal Commission into Aged Care.
Aged care investment, a priority for Loxton
According to Ms. Goode, the Loxton training model is an exemplar for communities who were willing to invest in efforts to provide proper training for local service standards.
She told that the Loxton model is unique certainly in South Australia.
She also asserted that the said model could also be adopted in other communities.
She explained that the partnership with a registered training organisation is established for the said program. The said organisation trains people and provides Certificate III training. This entails that the said program is adopting theories and practices from a professional standpoint.
The cost of the program is $7,000 with added administrative and volunteer hours to make it self-sufficient. This is so because the bulk of the $2,000 training cost per participant is provided by a SA Government subsidy.
The program was launched last year and nine have already completed the training whom 7 of them is currently working in local aged care.
Considering the success of the program, the community is employing the program again. This attracted Stacey Hardman, a hospital cook, and cleaner to sign up to the said program.
Importance of scholarship for studying
Ms. Hardman is the mother of one child and previously employed in the childcare industry in Manchester, England. She is living in Loxton for four years.
After three weeks into the course, Ms. Hardman is excited about her placement and getting involved with the residents.
She told that she is willing to have a conversation with the locals to know their backgrounds and to share her background too.
She told that receiving a scholarship is vital in providing her a capacity to complete the said training and remain in the regional community.
She admitted that she experienced financial hardships when it comes to sustaining her possible employment in England. But the scholarship was able to provide her a capacity to keep her financing to her house and even get a car. She told that the said opportunity could also give her permanent work eventually.
Ms. Hardman has a personal reason why she wanted to provide and ensure quality care.
She admitted that dignity is a huge thing for her. He grandfather is currently in aged care in England. She told that it could be the pride for herself to give the care her grandfather needs.
Person-centred care, the focus of the new standards
New aged care standards were released on July 1. The said standards were geared towards providing individual needs aside from workload quotas.
However, aged care workers perceive that the said standards would add up to their current workload until the staffing problems are properly handled.
Carly Thompson is currently employed in Loxton Hospital as a direct care attendant. She was among the quarter of a million direct care workers in the country.
Similar to Ms. Hardman, Ms. Thompson also underwent training in the Loxton scholarship program. She also supports the new standards.
She told that as a manifestation and proper application of the said philosophy, not everyone wanted to have their breakfast at 8:00 am.
Ms. Thompson was willing to work as a direct care attendant because she obtained positive results of the said program to her grandmother.
She told that one of the main reasons for her to study and work as a direct care attendant is because her mother has dementia that made her admitted to a nursing home. Ms. Thompson told that she was thankful to the said nursing home for taking care of her grandmother.
That aspect contributes largely to recruitment
Merridee Seiboth, the incumbent Loxton Hospital Complex director of nursing and midwifery told that giving free training is a huge example of how the community appreciates, supports and value aged care workers.
Ms. Seiboth added that this is due to the misappropriation of proper appreciation to the said sector.
She told that direct care attendants are willing to share their life story as well as their trust and rapport to the individuals who they are caring for,
She added that direct care attendants are satisfied due to these stories of interaction and of sharing different stories to one another.
