Not enough money for quality care
Dawn Underwood has seen many changes in aged care during her 26 years working as an AIN in the sector.
While she has recently retired from aged care nursing, Dawn remains extremely concerned about the condition of aged care and the future of the industry.
"The Howard government ripped the heart out of aged care for more than 10 years," she says.
"Now there’s simply not enough money in aged care to enable the right amount of nurses and care staff to provide the quality of care that residents need."
Dawn is concerned that there isn’t enough funding for the wages of aged care nursing and care staff, for enough bed licences, or to ensure an adequate mix and number of qualified nurses and care staff.
"Unfortunately the funding that is available isn’t being spent in the right ways by many aged care employers," she says.
"Employers used to be accountable for their funding—they had to show how it was being spent.
"Now, employers receive one big bucket of money and no-one has any idea how it’s being spent.
"We’re seeing many employers building these great facilities to attract more residents, but they’re not dedicating any more money into nurses and nursing care."
While Dawn says there’s no quick fix to the years of neglect of the aged care industry, the QNU/ANF campaign could be the lightening rod the government needs to start addressing the key issues affecting the sector.
"Working in a nursing home is anything but a walk in the park," she says.
"We need appropriate nurse to patient ratios, a proper skill mix, and fair wages so we can keep nurses in aged care and attract more to the sector.
"An aged care nurse’s first priority is their resident – nurses and care staff want to be able to provide high quality care for each and every resident – but they need urgent help to do so!"
In pictures: Because We Care Day of Action
In pictures: Because We Care campaign
Shortcuts: Because We Care about aged care
