Don’t wait on them ‘hand and foot’

Tough love is the way to go, according to Victorian aged care worker, Annie Tragin.

Ms Tragin, who believes the elderly should not be “waited on hand and foot”, recently won the State Excellence in Aged Care award for the unique approach to her dedicated, and perhaps unconventional work. She is now in the running for the national title in September.

She believes the elderly should not be “waited on hand and foot”, and says the more meaningful tasks nursing home residents are given, the better off they are.

The awards, organised by Aged and Community Care Victoria, recognises the dedication of the state’s aged care industry to the care of older people.

Under Ms Tragin’s watch, residents help tidy dishes, write birthday cards, and organise the library – all things that help keep them young, she says.

“(Previously in aged care) the expectation was when they come into aged care, we do everything for them, but residents have the ability (to do things) just in the same way as before,” Ms Tragin says.

“It’s the day-to-day stuff and finding ways they can do it. It also helps residents feel more useful. They can still maintain a worthwhile existence rather than being waited on,” she says.

Aged Care Association Australia (ACAA) chief executive officer, Rod Young, told DPS eNews he supports Ms Tragin’s unique approach to aged care.

“I agree completely. Basically you have a whole gang of people who are used to doing things for themselves; whether it is domestic tasks or looking after households or finances,” Mr Young says.

“We then tend to put people in care and assume they can’t do things for their own safety,” he says.

According to Mr Young, balance needs to be introduced into the system, and there needs to be more ‘unconventional tough love’ as shown by Ms Tragin.

“Balance is really required. There is a difference between providing a safe environment for a resident and providing a stimulating environment,” Mr Young says.

“People can walk down the street and get hit by bus. We think we must do everything possible to keep [residents] safe and not expose them to any risk whatsoever, but we’re forgetting that it denies them of dignity. It’s basically like treating mature people as infants.”

Mr Young says people who are restricted from doing the things they can manage to do in a reasonable and safe environment poses a problem.

“If residents are made to sit in a chair all day and not move because workers are fearful for their safety, then we really need to start asking, ‘where is the quality of life?’”

Do you agree aged care residents should not be ‘waited on hand and foot’? Let us know what you think about Ms Tragin’s ‘tough love’ approach by commenting in the box below.