Tag: Blog

We requested all of the SA parties send us their policies and positions regarding aged care reform prior to this weekends state election. Only three have responded to our request to point of publication - the Dignity Party, Australian Conservatives, and SA-BEST. Dignity Party: The Dignity Party support a mandated minimum staff to residents ratio … Continue reading SA Election 2018: Where do the contesting parties stand on aged care reform?

We all like to be active, and useful in some way. Some people put everything into their career because it gives them satisfaction, or they are helping others. For some, family is everything. Other people like to go to church, garden, volunteer or play sports. This doesn't change when we get old, and it doesn't … Continue reading All Work and no Play

Dementia patients can be very unpredictable, and if you are not used to working with them all of the time, you may not be aware of the various techniques that we use to help to manage some of their challenging behaviours. Validation therapy has a very simple theory at its core: "enter their reality". What … Continue reading Validation Therapy

Photo from the series "Reflections of the Past" by TOM HUSSEY When I worked in community care, I was once sent to a veteran whose family were caring for him at home while awaiting placement in residential care. He'd been in hospital following a fall and was quite a handful for his elderly wife, often … Continue reading Discovering The Person Behind Dementia

Among the most desirable skills for a care worker in aged care there is one that stands out to me as a symbol of all that is most wrong with this industry. Good time management. What does this mean? The average aged care workers shift is between four and eight hours long. You have an … Continue reading The T-Word

I have always wanted to be a nurse. I left school early, so going to university was not going to be easy. I was a single parent on income support, and was sent to an employment agency when my youngest started school. I had some ups and downs, but finally got a great case manager … Continue reading Get a Job in Aged Care They Said…

There have been some terrible stories coming out in the media in the past few days, some of which we have shared via social media. Who could fathom their loved one being so sadly neglected that his wounds were full of maggots? When confronted, the manager of the home stated that maggots were good for … Continue reading Maggots and Mash