Work Changes

Yesterday I had the rather interesting experience of being in a room full of people who were told their workplace is going to be closed down.

That would be MY workplace. The aged care facility I work in.

It's amazing that something we all 'kind of' expected, can still come as such a shock. We've had a few residents pass away recently, which has left us with a number of empty beds ... and it hadn't gone unnoticed by staff that those beds were not being filled with new residents as they normally would be.

So, when we received notice that there would be a meeting for all staff, followed by a meeting for all residents and their families, it was natural that there would be speculation about whether the centre might be closing. It was with some trepidation that we all filed in for the meeting yesterday, and our worst fears were confirmed. The building is over 50 years old and was originally built to provide for residents with 'low care' needs. These days, there are more services provided to help people stay at home for longer before they need to move into a facility. This means that by the time they come to us, they tend to have more 'high care' needs. Long corridors and rooms far away from the nurses' station, along with a lack of the modern equipment that can be found in many other centres, mean that the building is no longer practical for providing aged care. The age of the building also means refurbishment isn't an economical option.

There were a few tears shed at the meeting, naturally. Our jobs are under threat and that is a worry for everyone. Some will be able to transfer to other facilities, which is what I hope to do, or into Home and Community Care, while others will be taking redundancy packages. The main concern for most staff though is the emotional state of the people we provide care for. I am proud to say we are all quite protective of our residents and we are acutely aware that the idea of having to move house will be upsetting to many of them. There is no set date for closure, it will depend entirely on when the residents have all moved out. This could take just a couple of months, or it could be well into next year - we have to wait and see.

I was fine at the meeting, although hearing sniffles around the room made me a little emotional. I was more affected on the drive home afterwards though, when I thought more about the people I will miss when we no longer see each other regularly. The residents will all end up in different places - some may even have to move away to other towns. Our staff group, who make such a great team and are so supportive of one another, will all go in different directions. I will even miss the building itself ... it's unique and quirky, and has the best views in town.

Most of all, I will always remember that this building is the one I re-entered the workforce in. My own confidence has grown so much over the 17 months I've been there and the experience has been invaluable. I don't know how much longer I will have there and it will be sad to see it go, but I will always think of it with pride.