Caregivers at elderly home work 12-hour shifts as staffing crisis deepens

Commentator Claude Skelton Cline has raised alarm about conditions facing caregivers at the Adina Donovan Home for the Elderly, revealing that workers have been labouring through 12-hour days while the facility remains understaffed.

Speaking on his Honestly Speaking programme, Skelton Cline disclosed that staff shortages began during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not improved. "One of the things that they have shared with me is that they are, first of all, understaffed. They're short-staffed. And the personnel that they do have have been working 12-hour shifts since COVID-19," he said.

The caregivers continue to show up despite facing considerable physical and emotional strain in their roles. Skelton Cline emphasised that the work demands tremendous patience, compassion and strength, especially given the bonds workers form with residents in their care.

The facility falls under the Ministry of Health and Social Development and relies on government funding for salaries, meals, utilities and other running costs. Health Minister Vincent Wheatley has previously stated that current budgets cover only basic operations, with additional funding needed to enhance service quality.

Skelton Cline is pressing the government to act. "This matter needs to be addressed! Funding needs to be appropriated," he said, arguing that the territory's elderly residents warrant adequate care and that the burden on caregivers must be eased.