Stressed aged care staff reveal the horrors of working during Omicron in staff survey

Staff reveal what’s really happening inside Australia’s aged care homes, as the latest figures reveal more than 19,000 workers and residents have Covid.

Aged care workers have painted a devastating picture of life inside Australia’s care homes during the Omicron wave.

A survey of more than 900 aged care staff found that the system is so stretched some residents are missing out on medication, food and drink.

Others say they haven’t got time to take residents out into the garden for fresh air – or shower them.

Workers say standards of care have dropped so far that the lives of elderly residents are at risk.

Donna Cappelluti is South Australia aged care worker who has quit because the job has become too stressful. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

The United Workers Union survey found:

*8 in 10 of staff who responded are in facilities with Omicron

*More than half do not have access to a Covid test at work

*A third say they either don’t have any PPE or it’s highly limited and likely to run out

*One in 10 have been asked to work while they are sick

Care worker Donna Cappelluti, 48, who quit her job a week ago after seven years in the industry, said the “human needs” of residents are not being met due to Covid.

Ambulances prepare to remove residents of an aged care home in Sydney after a Covid outbreak last year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

“The residents are getting agitated and upset,” she said.

“Many are stuck in their rooms with a TV all day.

“Staff haven’t got time to walk them out into the garden for some sunshine and they’re having to decide who can have a shower or make do with a wash.”

Ms Cappelluti, from South Australia, said staff were exhausted and stressed and were not getting enough support, which is why so many like her have left the industry. She was forced to use an extra small N95 mask for several days which did not fit and the same face shield for more than two weeks.

She said it just wasn’t worth the $22 an hour she was being paid. She now has a job with the union.

A resident pictured last July at an Sydney aged care facility with positive Covid cases. Picture: NCA NewsWire /Gaye Gerard

“I feel sorry for everyone left behind,” she said. “But we’ve been putting ourselves on the line for the last two years. We are exhausted.”

UWE Aged Care Director Carolyn Smith said it was “appalling that two years into the Covid-19 pandemic aged care workers are struggling to gain even the most basic pieces of PPE or even get tested”.

The Government’s latest weekly data says as of January 20 there are 19,059 active cases of Covid related to aged care across 1,198 residential aged care facilities, up from 7014 the week before. There have been 163 deaths in 2022.

Health Minister Greg Hunt’s office said he had addressed the aged care issues at a press conference last week when he announced the Government was providing 10 million units of PPE and related products to the aged care sector and facilities around the country.

He said the Government had handed over 2.3 million rapid antigen tests to Australian aged care facilities already in 2022.

An aged care resident receiving a Covid jab. NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

TESTIMONIALS FROM THOSE SURVEYED – What’s really happening inside our aged care homes

“These poor residents are being isolated from their families and made to stay in their rooms for months on end – they are depressed and anxious.” – Aged care worker, Queensland.

“If a resident is positive they ask care staff to attend and do medicine because nurses are not allowed to go to the residents’ room if they are Covid positive.” – Aged care worker, South Australia.

“I’m struggling to breathe at work, these N95 masks, shields and gowns are disgusting. I feel dizzy, workers are irritable, the residents are getting cabin fever, the place is a nightmare to work at.” – Aged care worker, South Australia.

Staff at a Sydney aged care home where there was a Covid outbreak last year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar

“I am now working 12 hour shifts in Covid positive ward and was told by facility manager that I ‘had it easy’.”- Aged care worker, Queensland.

“We were told we would get extra staff if we had an outbreak. This has not happened. We were told positive cases would not be treated on site. Instead only one went to hospital. People are missing medication, food and fluids. We do not have access to proper PPE. I have had to source my own. We were told we would have a wage increase and this too has not yet happened.”- Aged care worker, South Australia.

“I am wearing same face shield for more than a month and when asked for change they told us they don’t have extra so wipe it wash it and reuse it.” – Aged care worker, South Australia.

Ambulances prepare to remove residents from a Sydney care home after a Covid outbreak last year. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

“I cannot keep up with how exhausting this work is and how much more responsibility my team is given without a reasonable increase in pay. I’m planning to quit soon.” – Aged care worker, Queensland.

“Everything at work is gossip on which staff has Covid, no clear answers or discussion. I worked closely with a staff member for a whole day who tested positive and I asked if they had any RAT tests so I don’t put residents in danger. They said they only had 2 and don’t want to use them on me because I was wearing an N95 mask so I wasn’t deemed a close contact … It’s very disorganised and I am trying to avoid “having a life”- ie going out/socialising – so I don’t infect any residents. The whole aged care sector right now has gone from terrible to horrifying.” – Aged care worker, Queensland.

Originally published as Stressed aged care staff reveal the horrors of working during Omicron in staff survey