For our aged care workers - thanks for caring
When most people think of a hero, an image is conjured up of a buff individual who prefers their clothing on the figure-hugging side, and whose hair tends to never be out of place even if they have just saved little Timmy and his dog from plummeting of the side of the cliff.
On the 7th of August, the community are asked to replace this image with another, as we celebrate another type of hero on Aged Care Employee Day, with this years’ theme being “Thanks for Caring”.
There are over 360,000 individuals Australia wide who contribute to providing care to people in Aged Care, with our local facility Richardson House employing over 35 people in roles varying from Registered and Enrolled Nurses, Personal Care Workers, Catering, Cleaning, Laundry, Recreation, Maintenance, Management and Administration to name a few. All of these people play an integral role in ensuring the Residents receive exceptional care in a home like environment.
The last three years have been extremely challenging for Aged Care Workers as they embraced all the changes and requirements that a pandemic brings. They have had to undergo specific training regarding COVID-19, have added additional duties to their already full workloads, as well as lining up for mandatory vaccinations, and in some cases having to use up leave entitlements while they isolate in order to ensure that the Residents are kept safe. They have been the front line when it comes to ensuring COVID-19 is kept out of their Aged Care Facility, often dealing with uncooperative or angry people who do not see why they need to abide by the restrictions put in place due to the pandemic. Yet their dedication to their Residents has not waned.
On top of this are the normal day to day operations, such as ensuring that the Residents receive their personal and medical care, wholesome meals, live in a clean and homely environment, have their clothes laundered and ironed, and are provided with stimulating activities. This all requires a committed team to ensure that the cogs run smoothly. There is no one person more important than another, as without any of them the facility would not be able to function.
Aged Care Workers are so much more than their duties. They are the people who take the time to have a chat to a Resident, who provide a smiling, friendly face for them to see, and who’ll hold their hand when they are feeling low. Aged care workers share many laughs and experiences with their Residents and shed many a tear when they are low. It is an industry where the heart swells with the knowing that you are making a difference, and where the heart is often broken when someone is no longer with us. It is an industry for heroes, be they ones without capes.
This August 7th if you know of someone who works in Aged Care please take the time to give them a pat on the back and say “Thanks for Caring”.