Aged care beds sitting empty due to workforce shortages

The need for workforce reform is dire, as aged-care beds nationwide are empty despite long waiting lists, the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) reported.

Last week, CEDA's Duty of care: Aged-care sector running on empty report was released, which found many homes were operating under capacity due to worker shortages – with some as low as 50 per cent capacity.

This means that many aged-care patients are being kept in hospitals, particularly in rural areas, because of the lack of available beds.

CEDA found at least 18 aged care homes closed or are due to close by the end of this year, with most noting staffing shortages as the reason.

The report concluded the increased mandatory staffing hours were contributing to the situation.

Chief economist of CEDA Cassandra Winzar, said staffing changes were important to increase the quality of care.

"Not enough had been done to fix this," Ms Winzar said.

"These staffing changes are important to increase the quality of care for older Australians, but they
are adding pressure on providers already struggling to maintain their workforces, and come on top of
growing demand for home-care services."

"There must be more action from the government to make meaningful progress on closing this workforce
gap."

A government spokesperson told The Australian that "older Australians want to stay at home longer", which is why there was more funding for homecare packages – with the basic subsidy raised by 11.9 per cent in July of this year.

The spokesperson also responded by backing the funding of $11.3bn to increase pay for the workers.

The report highlighted three recommendations to address the worker shortages, including recruiting personal-care workers through an "essential skills visa", introducing a user-pays system, and addressing and prioritising the nationwide housing shortages to allow essential workers to live near their workplace.

"Funding for the sector, through a mix of increased government and personal contributions, will have to rise to ensure we can provide high-quality care to older Australians," Ms Winzar said.

"Without further action, we will be unable to provide the care the community rightfully expects."

Chief of the Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA) Tom Symondson said the report highlighted the urgent need for workforce reform and the vital work of the Aged Care Taskforce.

"The CEDA report mirrors the issues and solutions we're already discussing," Mr Symondson said.

"We've been advocating for better education access, improved housing access for care staff – particularly in rural areas – easier migration routes for overseas workers, and direct funding of targeting aged care workforce programs."

"The problems will only get worse with an ageing population and as demand spirals."

The Aged-care Task Force is expected to present an interim report this month, with a final report expected at the end of this year.

Mr Symondonson, along with 14 other members, is in charge of finding the solutions to the aged care funding crisis.

"This is the first real conversation on aged care funding in two decades, and we need to get it right," he said.

"We have high hopes the task force will deliver the reforms Australia needs."

"At the heart of this is improving the lives of older Australians because that’s what they deserve."

Do you have an idea for a story?
Email [email protected]