Rural, remote and regional aged care workers may be at risk of heightened emotional strain. Workers who are already under the pump due to a range of factors, such as being under-resourced at work, are likely to have fewer opportunities to address their own mental health and wellbeing, National Rural Health Alliance Chairperson Nicole O’Reilly told HelloCare in an interview published on 3 May 2023.
‘We have experienced challenges with the workforce and filling vacant positions and grief adds an extra element to the difficulty that our workforce experiences. In a regional setting where the workforce is already stretched, there’s probably increased hours being worked.
‘When you have a personal relationship [with a resident] that means you have to manage two different types of relationships, potentially with the family and with yourself in terms of managing grief. That is an extra burden on our workforce,’ Ms O’Reilly added.
Here’s the full report: hellocare.com.au/where-to-find-support-for-grief-and-loss-as-a-remote-aged-care-worker