Cost or opportunity? Now is the time to improve the digital skills of aged care workers

Improve the digital skills of care workers and everyone stands to gain

“I didn’t think I would like this technology stuff, I’ve tried before and it was so complicated but somehow you’ve made it easier for me. I do online shopping now which is amazing.” That’s what we heard from an aged care worker at a training session we recently facilitated for our client/her employer.

Why is this important for this article? Because care workers in the aged care sector often bear the brunt of tight funding and pressure on margins felt by their employers. This means tough operational decisions need to be made by leadership teams and investment in the development and growth of their employees, outside of strict compliance, health and safety etc is often the casualty.

The impact of this is that the sector as a whole has a reputation of being a tough place to work, lacking the attractiveness of other sectors. In a recent article in The Australian newspaper, Tracey Burton, Chief Executive of Uniting, points to the implications of the bias that exists around seniors - ageism. She highlights it in the language when describing seniors and their needs; “How often have you heard that our older people are a burden? From our federal leaders down, our elders are described as a “demographic time bomb”, “a grey tsunami”, a cost, a challenge, a problem to be solved”.

In an industry where so much personal purpose can be gained from working with seniors, how can we attract and retain much needed care workers?

The aged care sector can take the lead

Burton continues in her article to talk about the employment opportunities in the sector, and the correlation between improving aged care and creating jobs. Makes sense doesn’t it? One of the key ways to improve the aged care experience is to improve the ratio of care workers to seniors. That is, to employ more care workers.

There was talk post the Federal budget about the lack of focus on women in work and this was felt in the aged care sector. This is because according to Australian Institute of Health & Welfare (AIHW), 87% of workers in residential care services are female, as are 89% in home care or home support.

It is these employment considerations that we are deeply focused on as we interact with care workers on a daily basis, They are motivated and passionate about what they do and incredibly appreciative of the skills they learn. Thousands of workers have been displaced by COVD-19, a large majority of these are female, in adjacent sectors e.g. hospitality and tourism. Coupled with the positive impact a little digital training has had on care workers, like the one in the beginning of our article, we believe there is an opportunity to attract and retain a workforce that is filled with people seeking to add more value and be supported for that by their employers.

What’s getting in the way?

We are perplexed though. As part of the work we do, training the care workers is pivotal and we see the potential of their involvement to amplify the value and impact of the digital programs we run, and with the seniors in their care. It often takes some persuading for the senior leaders we talk with to see the rationale, beyond the cost implications. The investment in people is a medium term game - it builds loyalty, improves morale, increases productivity which in turn reduces cost - critical drivers of performance of any business.

Where to from here?

The time is right - the Government is focused on the value return of providing direct funding through home care packages and the digital inclusion benefits. The Aged Care Commission is pointing to the need to revisit funding models, methods of care and support. The myths around seniors themselves are slowly being dispelled by those of us working in the sector - they are eager to learn, curious about technology and the positive impact it can have on their lives. So the industry needs to be right alongside supporting them.

The sector needs to seize the day, take advantage of this moment to become a leader amongst others and provide the rich, rewarding careers to their care workers and in turn, for their clients.