I pose a simple question today: How much is a life worth?
As a society, do we truly respect and care for our elders? Do we appreciate the sacrifices they have made for us?
What is happening in the Aged Care Sector is scary. If my mum and dad were in a retirement home, I’d be concerned.
Do we care about the things our fathers and mothers built and broke themselves for? Do we value the impact that their experiences and shared knowledge have had on each and every one of us?
It is shameful that we have left those most vulnerable so poorly protected. How we can have a situation where short-sightedness and a focus on financial performance can put people at risk is beyond me.
Sadly, so much of what I see happening in the Aged Care Sector is avoidable.
Staff at the front line see and know first-hand what is happening. They know when PPE is running low, when someone is unwell or when conditions deteriorate. Yet few services use this valuable resource to their advantage. “No one listens” the refrain goes.
Families are concerned at the lack of communication and contact. Phones go unanswered. Mum and dad, brother and sister, auntie and uncle are alone and fearful. All they want is reassurance. “We’re too busy!” I hear.
Visitors come and go as they please. Paper-backed responses rule the day. It’s cheap. Simple and easy to use. BUT totally ineffective for when things go wrong. “We’ve always done it this way” I’m told.
- What price would you put on the ability to ensure staff coming to work every day were safe to do so? On making your workplaces as safe as they could be?
- What would you spend to track and properly manage every person who walks through your doors? How would you ensure everyone complies with the latest Health guidelines and policies?
- Would you pay to hear what your staff are saying and listen to the things they are concerned about?
- What value would you put on the ability to identify and respond to family concerns, worries and enquiries in real time
Do you truly care about listening to, and hearing, the voice of the people who’ve entrusted their lives to you?
Currently we are seeing the government providing significant support and funding to keep facilities and staff safe. But what has changed?
It worries me that facilities in lockdown, with sick and dying residents, won’t invest a small amount – the equivalent of a couple of coffees a day – to get a world leading solution to protect their most important assets.
