Supporting evidence to the Aged Care Royal Commission last week, a new study has found aged care home are too understaffed to meet residents’ emotional needs.
The joint study, from University of NSW, Macquarie University and RMIT, found staff are often too rushed to properly connect with their residents.
As a result, residents reported high rates of social isolation and mental distress.
The authors blamed heavy workloads, inadequate staffing and insufficient time staff for the findings – all points raised in last week’s hearings on the aged care workforce.
The fact is our current system does focus more on clinical care – looking after residents’ physical health – than holistic care – supporting residents’ mental wellbeing.
I know from my time working in aged care that ‘touch’ – physical touch and spending time with residents is the most important way to provide quality of life in residential care.
Yet the regulations and paperwork that dominate the lives of staff often prevent this from happening.
The RMIT report calls for:
- The social needs of residents to be central to the design of aged care services
- Aged care funding to be increased to adequate levels allow emotional support to be provided to all residents in need.
- The aged care system’s is regulated to ensure that rosters allow workers sufficient time to caring relationships.
- Workers have the right training and guidance to develop personal relationships with clients.
These are all welcome measures – but more can be done.
The Royal Commission already heard last week during its workforce hearings that staffing shortages have left staff unable to provide high quality care.
The Counsel Assisting for the Commission concluded that the Government – together with the sector – needs to step up and address this issue – and take urgent action now.
In the interim, it’s a reminder that we can all do our bit to provide that ‘touch’ to our loved ones in care.
A friend of mine recently joined the Government’s Community Visitors Scheme (CVS) to provide volunteer visits to older people.
Something to consider – after all, we will all be older one day.
