MEMBER STORIES
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY HOW ONE AGED CARE GROUP IS HELPING SMALL PROVIDERS FACE ANY CHALLENGE WITH CONFIDENCE
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t’s no secret that Australia’s residential aged care sector has been facing a tough battle for years.
Many of the industry’s issues are due to a lack of funding, overworked staff, limited resources and lack of technological initiatives. But, as one of the most regulated industries in our country, aged care has even bigger challenges ahead—primarily driven by the Aged Care Royal Commission. Of the 148 recommendations handed down, at least 50 need to be implemented by aged care providers. That’s a staggering number, even before considering the tight timeframes associated with these recommendations. One thing is for sure—the industry is now on the brink of unprecedented and substantial change. Although the impact will be far-reaching and significant for aged care providers of all sizes, it’s the small stand-alone organisations that often lack the resources of their larger counterparts, who are now facing the biggest challenges.
The Respect Group has seen many smaller providers with capable CEOs doing well in regional areas. However, it can become excessively stressful for these individuals who now need to be across more information and implement numerous changes quickly without adequate support. When good CEOs burn out or resign, a suitable replacement proves challenging to find in regional areas. The Australian National Aged Care Classification funding estimates have given some providers temporary hope. But, as smaller providers struggle to find the internal expertise and resources to manage the changes, there’s an increasing surge toward the idea of amalgamation. So, is merging the best solution for all smaller providers? The reality is, financial stress is no longer the only reason providers are joining larger organisations. Constant change, heavy-handedness from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, and increased risk for management and board members are simply becoming too much for a limited amount of human resources—particularly in regional areas. When smaller providers join a larger group, they immediately benefit from a team of specifically trained managers who share the load. This frees up facility managers to concentrate on the task they do best—caring for older Australians. What’s more, without the usual regional constraints, a larger group offers the benefit of recruiting a skilled board and senior management team from a larger geographic footprint (provided the organisation is outward-looking).
Jason Binder CEO and Managing Director of Respect with resident Collin Corbett from Eliza Purton.
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The result is not only more effective top-level managerial systems, but
