SATURDAY pre-Budget issue: 15% wage increase attracting new recruits to aged care

Aged care facilities are seeing a boost to their workforces in the wake of the Fair Work Commission’s interim 15% wage rise – but more is needed to ensure those that love the job return to the floor. The past 30 years has seen many Registered Nurses leave because of understaffing and low wages. “Many of the people that I have met, they are passionate about aged care, but they just cannot take it anymore,” said aged care RN Jocelyn Hofman (pictured), who has worked in aged care since 1987.

“The stress, the workload, it’s just too much. But if we improve those conditions and their pay, they’ll come back. I’m very confident of it.”

Read the full story in this week’s pre-Budget issue of SATURDAY – subscribe here.