With aged care centres across the country in crisis, some of Australia’s most vulnerable people are being left to fend for themselves. What staff are left are being pushed to the brink as the sector crumples under the pressure of widespread COVID outbreaks.
Today, with the help of Crikey readers, we’re publishing a handful of deeply personal stories from the front line of this national crisis. If you’d like to share your own, write to us at letters@crikey.com.au.
Missed family Christmas for the first time
Clare, who will celebrate her 90th birthday at the end of the month, was in lockdown at her aged care home for around a month over the Christmas/New Year period. Residents were confined to their rooms, and visitors were banned. Even now that the lockdown has lifted, she’s only allowed one visitor per week until further notice. Visitors must be triple-vaxxed, take a RAT before arriving (if they can find one), and wear a mask and visor at all times.
Crikey spoke to Clare’s daughter Karen, who said her mum has found it really hard to keep occupied. TV and doing her Word Search books kept her sane, but spending Christmas alone was the worst part of the lockdown.
“Christmas was hard without her — it’s the first time she hasn’t spent that day with family in her almost 90 years. She has six children, 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.”
“We’re actually amazed Mum has been able to retain her good spirits, but I know it’s been really hard for her. Some days she just wanted to give up.”
Unmade bed, unassisted showers
Lynn’s* aged care facility has been in lockdown since early January. She’s usually well looked after, but the staff shortages of late have made life incredibly difficult. For the past few weeks, if she wants to have a shower, she must do it unassisted, which is a struggle given her frailty. Lynn’s bathroom towels aren’t being changed regularly and her bed sheets haven’t been changed in over two weeks.
Lynn’s daughter told Crikey that she empathises with the staff she sees racing from one floor to another to cover shifts. During other lockdowns, there were plenty of casual fill-ins to cover gaps left by isolating staff, but in the past two months finding staff has been nearly impossible.
Despite it all, Lynn’s daughter told Crikey her mum is pretty resilient: “She is frail but still very astute. And through everything she’s managed to keep her sense of humour.”
Why I resigned
The aged care facility Emily* worked at went into lockdown on December 25. None of the residents had caught COVID yet, but 27 staff members had. There was no response from the Commonwealth for 18 days, and no replacement staff. The workers experienced critical shortages in PPE, and worked 15-18 hour days and seven-day weeks. Emily had to cancel her leave and a planned trip, but eventually it all got too much.
“I ran myself into the ground. I was given three days off to feel ‘better’ — I took the three days and wrote my resignation.”
Want to share your story from the aged care crisis? Write to us at letters@crikey.com.au. We will not publish without contacting you first.
*names changed at the request of the individuals .
