Removing barriers for our older workforce can help us all

Australians are now living longer than ever. Safer work environments, access to clean drinking water and sanitation, better access to healthcare and improvements in modern medicine have extended the nation’s life expectancy. However, the ageing population presents a challenge for an aged care system that is already stretched thin.

A report released by the National Skills Commission last year advised the shortfall between demand for aged care services and the number of workers needed to deliver them will increase to over 210,000 workers by 2050.

The Federal Government has been exploring options to try and plug the gap. Free or subsidised courses make study more accessible, and initiatives like the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) program try to bring in additional workers from overseas. Unfortunately, these initiatives have made very little dent in the sector’s ability to meet demand.

Benetas CEO, Sandra Hills OAM, acknowledges how challenging recruitment has been over the past few years.

“We’ve seen that traditional methods for workforce recruitment no longer work in our sector. When every single aged care provider is doing their best to attract workers from the same talent pool, it means the gap between demand and supply is only going to increase,” she said. “It also challenges us to try and find innovative solutions to attract new workers into the aged care workforce.”

Australia is seeing an increase in older workers returning to the workforce. A recent survey by National Seniors Australia reports that 16 per cent of older Australians have returned to work after retirement, and another 20 per cent are considering it.

Some of the barriers to returning to work identified by the survey are as straightforward as federal restrictions on supplemental income for those on the pension. Others are more nuanced, such as ageism, the need to re-skill or difficulties adapting to changing workplace cultures and conditions.

The aged care sector can offer a positive, mutually beneficial relationship with many of our older workers. Personal care workers can easily dictate their own hours and flexibility needs and receive recognition for previous experience caring for others. Many customers also appreciate the relatability, patience and reassurance that older workers can provide.

Benetas also operates a ‘Spark’ traineeship program where people can earn a wage as they study, as well as receiving on-the-job training with qualified staff so they receive a better understanding of the work. Older workers are more likely to have financial responsibilities, so providing a wage eases some potential stress. The on-the-job training provides them with an enhanced environment for learning, as well as helping them to build confidence in their abilities.

65-year-old Benetas Care Worker, Margaret, agrees that many older workers could benefit from working in aged care. “Being a carer meant I was the best-placed person in my family to take care of my mother when she needed it,” she said. “Mum was at a point where she’d had a few falls, things weren’t right, and the family agreed that she shouldn’t live on her own anymore.”

“Being a care worker gave me the flexibility to take shifts around mum’s medical appointments, but it also gave me the skills to be able to give her dignity. Small things, such as letting her control bathing and dressing, empowering her to do what she could while being supported.”

Margaret’s experience as a carer has also helped her support other family members.

“My cousin turns 80 this year,” she said. “A lot of people from her and my mum’s generation see needing help as a weakness, so I had a really gentle chat with her about the fact that it’s okay to need help. I was able to talk her through the sorts of services that a carer can provide, so she’s actually on a home care package now, which is helping her restore some quality of life.”

Though Margaret is now considering semi-retirement, she enjoys her work so much that she has no desire to give up her work.

“I do want to slow down a little, and of course, there are earning restrictions that come with going on the pension,” she says. “But I want to continue working and giving back to the community for as long as I can.”