Strengthening Wellbeing and Resilience in the Aged Care Sector

Aged care workers play a vital role in our communities, providing a critical service and facing challenges every day. As employers, how are we empowering and protecting our workers from vicarious trauma and creating a trauma-informed environment for clients?

Combatting Vicarious Trauma for Aged Care Providers – Online or In Person Workshop

Vicarious trauma is a significant occupational challenge for many in the aged care sector. Daily exposure to clients with health issues, behavioural challenges, including potential harassment, and supporting clients and their families through end-of-life care, can lead to trauma for employees. Aged care workers are frequently exposed to trauma as part of their work and employers have a duty to minimise and mitigate these impacts.

This in-person or online workshop is specifically designed for our caring professionals who support others impacted by trauma. Participants will be provided with essential knowledge and skills to recognise early indicators of vicarious trauma, actionable strategies to mitigate its impacts, and supporting tools to promote psychological and emotional resilience.

We’re currently taking expressions of interest for our Combatting Vicarious Trauma training. Register your interest by leaving your details below.

Please enter your details below.

"There's lots of advocacy and supports for our elderly, but there's not much talk about how another person's trauma affects other staff. The training was very well received, I had really good feedback from my staff. I can see most of my staff who attended the session wearing the safety plan card that we created during the training, having it documented was something they really enjoyed. We have a park just outside the facility, I can see them going for walks more often and I can see them prioritising acts of self-care."

Brotherhood of St. Laurence Aged Care

What participants will gain from our Combatting Vicarious Trauma training

A comprehensive knowledge of vicarious trauma including its definition, potential causes, impacts, and prevention strategies.
Greater awareness and skills to detect early signs of vicarious trauma, enabling prompt intervention.
Enhanced understanding of the impacts of vicarious trauma on both individuals and teams.
A toolkit of prevention strategies incorporating peer reflection, safety planning and self-care practices.
A common vocabulary and shared language that enables teams to effectively communicate about incidents, fostering a supportive work environment.

Trauma-Informed Practice

If you or your staff are engaged in direct client work, this dynamic training is for you. Participants will leave with a shared understanding of trauma, its impact, how it might present in the people around us, and importantly, how best to respond. Training can be tailored to your organisation and clients, or can be designed around a particular challenge you’re facing.

The Sanctuary Model

The Sanctuary Model is a workplace culture-change program that teaches people how to cope more effectively with adversity and stress, and aims to prevent trauma symptoms. The Sanctuary model introduces a number of workplace practices to create positive culture change.

It's Time To Rethink Residential Care

In partnership the University of Melbourne and MacKillop Institute are calling for a whole of sector rethink about the delivery of residential aged care in Australia. The researchers believe the system - widely considered unsustainable in its existing form - should move beyond its current 'nursing' model. In contrast, we should conceptualise residential settings as 'intentional communities' that provide a home 'sanctuary' for residents.