Video: The Australia Post logo appears on a red screen. Above, white text reads, "Strengthening the national aged care workforce. A man with greying hair stands in an office corridor. Text: "Bernard Salt AM, Demographer." The Australia Post logo sits in the bottom right corner.
Audio: Bernard: If we are to fully prepare for a rapid expansion of the aged care workforce, we need to properly measure its current size and scale. Workforce is a critical component of the aged care reform process.
Video: A woman wears a blue scarf over a navy uniform shirt. Text: "Heather Gray OAM, Chief Executive Officer, Dorothy Impey Home."
Audio: Dorothy: If there was a national database for staff or people that were interested in working in aged care, it might make them think more seriously about coming into aged care and realise how important the role is.
Video: A woman in a grey knit jumper sits by a piano. Text: "Irene McCracken, Family member." A uniformed staff member wearing a face mask joins residents chatting around a table.
Audio: Irene: Talking of the staff, it is important to know that they're registered or verified. You know you are getting the right people in the industry, that they are the ones that really want to stick it out, that that's what they want to do.
Video: A grey-haired woman wears a long-sleeved green blouse. Text: "June Stevens, Resident." The name "Dorothy Impey Home" appears in large letters on a building.
Audio: June: For the future of the staff, it could be certainly beneficial for them to be registered and they can always then say, "Well, I've had five years here," or X amount here, and they can take that with them and then use it, I think.
Video: The staff member sits in an armchair. Text: "Andrea Fabb, Staff member."
Audio: Andrea: The government really needs to know how many people work in aged care to improve the system.
Video: Heather approaches a resident. They both wear face masks. A wall is decorated with flowers, bows and butterflies.
Audio: Heather: It's about taking away the doubts and, at times, you do have doubts about employing someone. But if you have a register where you could go in and check, that would alleviate all that worry and give you a bit more confidence in employing that person. And working in aged care, that's what it's about - making a difference.
Video: Bernard wears a navy suit jacket over an open-necked white shirt.
Audio: Bernard: Over the first two years of the pandemic, the number of workers working in aged care increased by 61,000, according to data released by the ABS in March. No other job in the Australian workforce expanded as quickly or involved as many net new people as aged care and the baby boomers aren't really that old yet. The oldest baby boomer today is just 76, but more, many more will follow over the coming decade.
We need to get our systems right. How do we manage, verify, train and engage with a workforce that is growing at this pace? This is where we need a national system to identify, verify and properly measure the aged care workforce of the future. The time to act is now.
Video: The Australia Post logo appears on a red screen. Text: "auspost.com.au/agedcare".
