According to the Department of Health and Aged Care, there are currently around 370,000 aged care workers in Australia, including residential, home care, flexible and multi-purpose services. This means that only 2.7% of the employed workforce in our country contributes to the care of our ageing population over 65 years old – who make up 4.2 million Australians (16% of the population), of whom only 407,000 (9.7%) are clients of aged care (4.5% specifically using residential aged care services).

The move by the Australian health department in June 2022 to update their name from the Department of Health to the Department of Health and Aged Care was a big step after the final report from the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety in March 2021. It was a show of strong and public commitment to prioritising the quality of services we deliver to our older Australians.

As usual, a grassroots movement preceded these events. Aged care provider Whiddon initiated the celebration of Aged Care Employee Day on 7^th August in 2018. This recognition of aged care workers all over Australia was formally proclaimed as an Australian celebration day in 2019 by the national aged care peak body now known as ACCPA. This is the day where we take a moment from our busy shifts and caring duties to pause and say to one another:

#ThanksforCaring

If you are part of this valuable workforce, then you know all the reasons that we thank you for caring, including:

• Showing up day after day – and staying even when you find out you’re short-staffed
• Speaking kindly to a confused resident who asks you for the 1000^th time when they can ‘go home’
• Coming up with creative solutions when time or resources are in short supply
• Raising your concern when you see a resident is ‘not their usual self’
• Reporting a workplace hazard that could harm your colleague or your resident
• Doing your best even when it’s physically, emotionally, or psychologically tough
• Going over and above, in so many ways, every single day

As an aged care worker myself for the past two decades, I am grateful for the myriad of dedicated humans I work alongside every day who make up our aged care workforce – nurses, carers, lifestyle, allied health, hospitality, maintenance, administration, management, and everyone in between. The job of caring for our elderly is too big and complex for anyone to accomplish alone. I am so very grateful that we have each other to work, laugh and cry with.

As for the whimsical amongst us... did you know that August is also the month for celebrating:

• International Day of the World's Indigenous People
• National Book Lovers Day
• Lazy Day (this has to be everyone's favourite, right?)

Whatever you do, don’t forget to celebrate YOU

Celebrating YOUR contribution to aged care,

Qing
Chief Experience Officer

“No one cares until someone cares; be that one!" – Ken Poirot