“You cannot sustain that ethically and safely no matter how much your workforce wants to give.”
Attempts to recruit locally, and nationally, have been fruitless for Allawah Lodge, which is located in a town of just over 2,000 people. Offers to pay HECS debts for nurses during unpaid work placements were not accepted, and workers were unwilling to relocate to the Riverina region.
Positive moves have been made internally, however, as they successfully supported one care worker as she earned qualifications to become a Registered Nurse. They hope to repeat this with other care workers in the future including the international workers who have already been vetted to ensure they’re suited to aged care services in Australia.
“That’s something we haven’t been able to do in the past because people have been scarce coming into the industry and it’s been very difficult to have competitive selection. We were really looking for a solution where we could get the best of the best and people who really want to work in aged care,” she said.
“We actually have contact with our group right now, they’re not just some random group of people being sent out to us. They even have contact with staff and our residents prior to arriving on Australian soil, so we know they’re committed, have the right value system and highly respect their elderly.”