#65: Breaking the Silence: Building Community in Aged Care

Podcast Show Notes – S2 Aged Care Ep 7

PODCAST DETAILS

TBC 2024
So You Work in Aged Care
Connecting with others

OVERVIEW

In this episode of the So You Work in Aged Care podcast we discuss isolation and loneliness for aged care workers, and share some strategies and ideas on ways you can connect with similar-minded people in the community sector through shared interests.

A topic that often comes up when I speak to workers from within the aged care industry is a sense of isolation and loneliness at work. Surprisingly, I have found that this is something experienced by both those working within regional or remote areas who may spend lengthy periods on the road and only see a couple of clients a day, and also with those working within the suburbs and cities who are interacting with clients all day.

The nature of our work in aged care and the emotional toll of supporting elders can leave us feeling isolated, even when we are part of a large organisation. The good news is you don’t need to feel alone, as there are many opportunities to connect with others who share similar interests, both in-person and online.

KEY TOPICS

Identify a specific interest in ageing [7:26]

A good starting point to foster connection with others can be to identify your own special interest in aged care. For me, when I started, it was vision impairment, but there are so many areas you can choose to focus on. Uncovering your interest provides a window of opportunity to connect with others. As you search for ways to learn more about your chosen topic, you will find yourself crossing paths with and getting to know those with a shared interest within that space.

How can we connect with others? [12:28]

These days, there are many ways to connect with others who are similar-minded, both in-person and online. Once you identify an area of aged care that you’d like to learn more about, you’ll begin to uncover a treasure trove of resources where you can not only increase your knowledge on the topic, but also interact with new people. For example, there are many special interest groups and pages on social media, as well as webinars where you can often join for free or for a low cost. On the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) website you will find a wide range of webinars and videos on a huge range of diverse topics.

What is trending?[15:07]

I recently received some correspondence about the benefits of joining a union, and it struck me that this is another way that you can connect with others who work in aged care. I’m not here to advocate for one union or another, but the person who reached out wanted to highlight that being part of a union can give you access to help when you need it. It also provides an outlet where you can share feedback (both good and bad) to encourage change.

Attending events [16:13]

There’s no doubt the world of organised events has changed over the past few years. There are a multitude of ways events are delivered, from online conferences to intimate local in-person events, to large national gatherings. While online events are convenient and provide an outlet to connect and collaborate with people from all over the world, if you have the budget and time, attending face-to-face events offers the ideal way to meet people with similar interests. When you are physically in the same room, and can bounce ideas off one another, you experience a tangible and genuine sense of connection.

COMING SOON

Resilient Worker – new workshop coming soon

Our new workshop will cover the burning issues affecting aged care workers today. Head to our website to find out more – Resilient Worker