'For some Australians, life seems to be returning to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic but for aged care clients and staff, the risk of the virus continues to plague the sector, 9News reports.
The aged care industry, both residential and home care providers, are strained due to staff shortages, poor pay conditions and heavy workloads.
Megan Mainwaring, a case manager at myHomecare and has worked in aged care for the past eight years, but said the mental toll is becoming "unbearable" for herself and her workers.
"It's not getting any better even though the pandemic is calming down, in-home care seems more stressful," Mainwaring said.
Staff shortages have impacted home care providers as COVID-19 causes extensive furloughing.
But the lack of staff means elderly clients are experiencing delays in their daily care and the frustrations are being taken out on the staff.
"You have to deal with clients yelling at you because you were supposed to be there two hours ago but you can't be there on time because you have so many clients and not enough staff to cover it," Mainwaring said.
"The clients are frustrated because they don't get to go out and their families aren't coming around, they can get quite verbally aggressive."
Mainwaring said she has seen an increase in the number of people taking out home care packages after COVID-19 lockdowns in nursing homes have turned people to in-home care, but the number of staff to help these clients is dwindling.
"We just don't have enough staff for all of the home care packages."
"I believe the reason behind that is because the job is hard and stressful, mentally, when you're dealing with people who are aged, in pain, neglected," Mainwaring said
FULL STORY
Verbally abused' aged care workers call for mental health helpline ahead of federal election (9 News)
PHOTO
Megan Mainwaring is a case manager at myHomeCare in Sydney. (Supplied°
