A new toolkit has been developed to give aged care providers information and ideas to help attract and retain staff.
The resources, which are free to download, are the result of a three-year Quality Jobs Quality Care project between RMIT, Flinders University, UNISA, Brightwater, HammondCare, Helping Hand and aged care union, United Voice.
The toolkit has been designed to assist age care providers build sustainable, high-quality care services by making small changes to work practices that increase job quality and care quality and was informed by trials of small workplace innovations.
“Direct care workers are the majority of the aged care workforce and are critical to the future of the aged care sector,” Prof Sara Charlesworth of RMIT said.
“Frontline care workers are often employed in poor quality jobs, with low pay, high time pressure and a lack of access to training and career opportunities. This poor job quality creates significant challenges and barriers to both recruitment and retention and to care workers’ capacity to deliver high quality care.
“The Quality Jobs Quality Care project was designed to support workers in community and residential care by helping aged care organisations to make small changes to work practices that would improve both job quality for care workers and the quality of care that older Australians receive.”
The toolkit includes contemporary research evidence and established best practice on job and care quality. This is integrated with key insights and learnings developed through the series of workplace interventions trialled by the industry partners.
The toolkit provides useful and accessible tools and resources for supervisors, managers, human resource and other professionals in the aged care sector. It is also useful for organisations in related domains, such as the public health and disability sectors.
The Quality Jobs Quality Care Toolkit is available at www.qualityjobsqualitycare.com.au
