New Requirements for Our Future Aged Care Workforce

Australia’s aged care workforce needs to be renewed if it is to meet the challenges of increased demand, consumer choice, a rapidly changing marketplace and the integration of new technologies, Leading Age Services Australia (LASA) told the Future Aged Care Workforce Senate Inquiry in Canberra today.

LASA CEO Sean Rooney told the Senate Inquiry that the current aged care workforce was ageing and it needed to expand and change composition rapidly to meet the growth in demand for services.

“Our aged care workforce needs to be responsive to the changing needs and preferences of older Australians, it also needs to be adaptive to the ongoing consumer-centred reforms being rolled out by Government and provide the appropriate quality of care,” Mr Rooney said.

“We have to reimagine the types of work that will be carried out by our aged care workforce because our future workers will be delivering more than just personal care – they will need to engage with smart technologies and innovations in the provision of care, and be able work across residential, home and community based settings.

“Our aged care workforce, and the regulations that support it, will need to be much more flexible if aged care providers are going to be able to deliver the changing models and delivery of care Australians expect.”

Mr Rooney said that as industry and the Government considers workforce design we also need to ensure that special consideration is given to rural and regional aged care workforces, and special needs groups such as Indigenous, LGBTI and culturally and linguistically diverse older Australians.

“LASA told the Inquiry that none of these workforce challenges can be met, or changes implemented, if the Government continues to make cuts to aged care funding that directly impact on the workforce and reduce access to care,” Mr Rooney said.

LASA is the national peak body representing all providers of age services across residential care, home care and retirement living.

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