I am going to tell you a story. Are you comfortable? Are you safe?
Once upon a time, in the hospital wing of a retirement village near you, there lived a little old lady.
One night, the kind carer came to her and said, “There are only two of us here tonight. We will be very busy.”
The little red hens are not silly old chooks. We read the papers, we listen to the news, we hunt online for stuff.
This was worrying for a little old lady for whom staying clean and dry is very important, and who has been told – many times – that she ‘Must Not Get Out of Bed On her Own’. But – what to do?
The next day, the little old lady’s friend, the little red hen, came to visit. The little old lady told her the story. No harm – but – she was worried. Hmm, thought the little red hen. What to do?
That very afternoon in the letterbox there appeared a leaflet, which said:
- The company who owns this retirement village proposes to cut staff hours in the care units by 20 per cent.
- Come to a rally and say no to cuts to care!
Hmmm . . . How came this leaflet into my letterbox? Through one brave staff member. That carer was upset by a letter from The Company proposing cuts to staff hours. Who would care for the residents she cherished? What to do? She was a member of a union, E tū. She rang her E tū organiser, who got busy and contacted fellow union NZNO.
So, the little red hen took some leaflets along to the village happy hour. “What?” said some of the apartment dwellers. “Oh no – not cuts to the care staff! We chose this village because it has a good reputation for looking after us — when we need it. And those people in care now are our friends. We care that they are safe. What to do?”
Well, this is Wellington, so we called a meeting. About 30 people came. We could do it all by ourselves, but it was better if we acted together. We knew as we had done it before – over the Vietnam War in the 1970s and the 1981 Springbok tour.
So, what did we do?
- We wrote to the chief executive of the company which owns the village saying: “Please don’t do this.” And: “How can you make these cuts and maintain good care?” Unfortunately, he has not answered so far.
- With the support of staff unions E tū and NZNO, we worked with residents, families and friends.
- We did all the usual protest things — petitions, pickets, letters to MPs (our local member was attentive and helpful) and forming relationships with older people organisations.
- We visited our friends in the care units who know something is amiss as their kind carers are already stressed and very busy.
- Workers, residents and the wider community – we are all standing together. For safe care. In safe hands.
So – what has happened? There has been a slight improvement to the proposal. Staff going through this very stressful process have been supported by their unions. No-one who wanted a job has lost one. But several workers have lost hours — income they can ill afford to go without. And the net effect will be less care.
And we realised – this problem does not just affect us. In many retirement villages around the country, staff cuts are being made in their rest home or dementia care units. How to keep people in safe hands when there are fewer of these on duty?
Do you know how much carer time $2000 buys? At about $25.00 per hour? Well, let’s see — about 80 hours.
The little red hens are not silly old chooks. We read the papers, we listen to the news, we hunt online for stuff.
We know that the retirement village industry goose is no longer laying quite such golden eggs. The property market is falling, the number of home-owners is falling and promised retirement developments are being deferred. We know all this.
Retirement village owners may also be considering these things.
Do you know? Registration for the Retirement Village Association (RVA) conference costs about $2000 – including, admittedly, a nice round of golf and a good dinner. Plus accommodation. $2000. For registration. Do you know how much carer time $2000 buys? At about $25.00 per hour? Well, let’s see — about 80 hours. That’s how much. Two weeks of carer work. For one conference registration fee. What to do?
We also know there have for years been major problems facing the aged residential care (ARC) sector. Financial pressures, workforce shortages, equity of access and, above all, growing demand as more of us live (frailer, more dependent) longer and longer.
We know that the solution is not simple. It certainly does not lie in cutting the hours of work of the lowest-paid workers who care for the most vulnerable members of our communities. Look elsewhere, RVA, to make the savings your investors require.
And the thought of “living ever after” fills her with horror. But, for the time she has left, she does want to be in safe hands.
So – what to do? There’s lots, actually. We can provide a voice for our friends in rest and dementia care units.
The little old lady does not expect too much “happily” now. Not really. Glimpses of joy perhaps – from a kind word, a gentle hand, moments of engagement. And the thought of “living ever after” fills her with horror. But, for the time she has left, she does want to be in safe hands.
Jiff Stewart is a former nurse living in a Wellington retirement village where she is leading a group of residents opposing staffing cuts.
See also: Residents and families picket retirement village owners’ conference