Australia’s aged care workforce has to double over the next 10 years from 300,000 to 600,000 or more people. At the same time the National Disability Insurance Scheme will be implemented, forecast to require a further 300,000 workers.

It’s not going to happen.

This is one challenge being considered by the Federal Government’s Senate enquiry into the aged care workforce, taking place at the moment with its report due on 30 June.

Submissions from the sector highlight two (of many) challenges. ‘Aged care’ desperately needs a more positive image to attract and retain workers. And following other countries such as Canada, Japan, Taiwan and America by recruiting workers overseas is not the solution.

Australian Unity in particular is forcefully stating we need to present aged care as a positive career to build the workforce. AU is concerned about the “potential complacency of relying on immigration”. They point out that Japan and the US for instance had bigger populations and worse demographic projections and are likely to be more attractive/lucrative destinations for potential workers.

We have to solve this workforce challenge on our own and the starting point is to eliminate the negative perceptions of working in aged care - and promoting the positives.