Teens have much to give in Australia’s aged care future – working towards a robust intergenerational sector 

Industry leaders are keenly aware securing enough staff to maintain quality care is critical for a future sustainable sector, and the vulnerable seniors at its centre. However experts warn drawing in new personnel only from immigration, and even other sectors may not have the figures required. A growing movement sees adjusting recruitment possibilities to another demographic may just hold the key. As some provider leadership have found and attest, investing and training teenage staff has done wonders for morale and the seniors in care, as well as operational vigour and energy in facilities.

Growing needs

As Australia’s population ages, many more seniors will be needing the resources and care the sector provides. With the boomer cohort bringing thousands in compounding numbers to the sector, industry experts and advocates have long voiced the need for readiness. Alongside the sizable increase in new beds needed, so too will the need for thousands of new workers to fulfil the standard of care as established by the new act. Experts have predicted that an additional 130,000 beds are needed by 2034, around 13,000 new beds per year. 

Provider leadership have been clear in calling for increased support in breaking ground on new projects to meet these bed build numbers, however executives are also looking to pivot strategy to meet the growing need of attracting and retaining staff to the sector, to care for the occupants of those new beds. Experts predict that at least 35,000 new workers are required to meet the growing demand, with some now predicting that teens are, and should, be set to play a key role in making up the shortfall.

Shifting strategy

Advocates and industry leaders have maintained that the numbers have been evident for some time, the industry will need to lift to meet growing demand. Within this, experts across the sector have renewed their call for novel ways to attract teenagers to work in the sector. Far from ignoring this demographic as a resource, experts are doubling down on the critical nature of seeing the skillset, energy and perspectives of Australia’s teenagers as invaluable. Many share that this demographic can be a core asset in working towards the sustainability and health of the sector.

For providers that have changed policy and procedure to include teenagers in their recruitment efforts, the results have been encouraging, not just in meeting staffing needs but in the qualitative benefits found within the homes. From mitigating burnout of experienced staff, providers have found morale and spirits decidedly lifted in the homes where intergenerational staff is now central policy to home functioning.

Current numbers

In the most recent government data, the trend of aged care staff indicates an opportunity for providers to meet shortfall recruitment numbers from younger demographics.

In 2024, the average age of those workers was 47 years old, 87% were female and 43% were born overseas. Experts share that in meeting the huge numbers of staffing needed providers must shift marketing and recruitment strategies to highlight aged care as a working option of substance, meaning and interest, to teenagers, male and female, as opposed to fast food or retail options.

Change is here

On NSW’s central coast, a facility’s common room was recently organised to be transformed into a makeshift spa for the day. The provider, seeing the excitement and energy three teenagers on staff had for the activity, rostered them to be right in the mix. Far more than that, in speaking to the ABC, Caiolynn O’Keefe, now 18, shares that she now has secured a permanent job, not just supporting but leading leisure activities in the centre.

O’Keefe’s journey to working in aged care shows the collaborative opportunities schools also have to play in leading this new demographic to the sector. She began working at the Uniting aged care centre as part of a school work experience program and from there, found out she enjoyed it and thrived, now leading leisure activities such as the spa day.

Speaking to the ABC, O’Keefe shares, “most of my friends when I tell them about my job they had no idea that it was even an option. It’s such a good thing to go into, especially being such a young age and having a sort of big girl job.”

Word of mouth

Experts in recruiting and marketing have ubiquitously affirmed the power of word of mouth, it has been no different in the teenagers that have found their way into aged care work. Within hearing of the opportunity within the volunteer school program and being willing to give it a go, others have joined O’Keefe at the centre.

After gaining experience in the volunteer program at school, teenagers Chynna Ambler and Liam O’Brien joined the team too, alongside O’Keefe. As word spreads, advocates are calling on providers to consider partnerships with schools as a worthwhile strategy of recruitment.

Ambler is happy to share, “I didn’t expect to love it as much as I do now. I couldn’t ever imagine doing anything else.”

O’Brien too shares of the unexpected twist in his work experience and how aged care has become a consistent and long-standing job for him now, “I was working at McDonald’s and then I went to work at a pub for a little bit, so very different scenery from aged care. I was volunteering for about a month and then I got a job opportunity and I’ve been here for about two years now.”

Meeting future need

Uniting’s NSW.ACT CEO, Tracey Burton shares the sentiment of many provider leaderships, “we know that some of the forecasts are to almost double the workforce that we need by 2050, so an additional 400,000 people to come into the aged care sector”.

Academic experts within La Trobe University have also lent their voice to shift recruiting policy to include teens. Irene Blackberry is the Director of the Care Economy Research Institute at the university, she notes that high school students must be included in the national focus across the sector.

“Tapping into the younger generation is an area that we ought to consider. A lot of the young people, like 14, 15 and over at the moment, they can actually work in the hospitality industry”, Blacbkerry says. “And I don’t see any reason why really, you know, we can’t actually explore the potential, if you like.”

Bronwyn Cawley cherishes her role at the Uniting facility on the central coast. Having worked alongside and managed the teens in their roles, she is quick to share the significant benefit they have brought, and how they specifically meet need.

“Up to about 40% of our residents don’t have regular visitors. That can be as simple as family lives a long way away or some of them don’t have anyone left. So having our young people come in and work in the facility, they become almost like grandchildren to them.”

Many experts and industry leaders have no doubt, teenagers have an integral part to play in meeting the number of staff needed. Yet it is not simply in meeting numbers but in the substantive quality they bring that current and future value can be viewed.

Cawley affirms, “it’s clear the workers are bringing the fun factor…we love them.”

Maureen Moorcroft, a resident at Uniting’s central coast centre happily shares, “they’re so lovely and they just mix in with it so well.”