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www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
Speak Out
April 2016
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Michelle Bennett
I had been working in aged care as a clinician for around 10 years and from that experience
went on to complete my PhD through the University of Queensland investigating
communication and meal-time management in residential aged care settings. Since my
PhD, I have taught several ageing specific units and modules at University level. My current
research is aged care and ageing focused. I hope that the aged care working party can
provide direction for clinicians, aged care service providers, and policy makers in working
with older people with communication and/or mealtime difficulties. Ultimately, I would like
to see recognition of communication as an 'Activity of Daily Living'. To speech pathologists
and students interested in aged care – it is a slow and often arduous road to take, but the
rewards and thanks you receive are uniquely genuine. You will need to have solid all round
skills in speech pathology practice, patience, respect, flexibility, creativity, and humility.
Gail Rogers
I have worked with older clients in the private aged care field in Victoria, South Australia,
Western Australia, and Queensland. I currently work in beautiful Far North Queensland in
my own private practice. I joined the aged care working party because I am passionate
about working with like-minded people to raise awareness of our value in aged care and
to have a positive influence into current aged care reform. I would love to see mandatory
dysphagia training established for all carers, volunteers, nurses, and lifestyle staff whilst they
are studying their aged care courses. Showing hope and compassion, while interacting with
the clients and seeing faces light up with a smile on their faces – this is my daily reward for
working in aged care.
Amanda Dansky
I began working in the aged care sector as a new graduate in 2001 and have continued to
do so until present. I currently work on the Gold Coast in my own private practice, servicing
20 aged care facilities. I am very passionate about aged care and feel strongly that this
sector is currently not receiving the attention and amount of funding required to have the
basic communication and swallowing needs of residents met. I hope that the aged care
working party can help increase recognition of the speech pathology role in aged care
and to improve access to services. If I had a magic wand I would change the ACFI tool so
that it recognised communication as a basic human right with the appropriate allocation of
funding. I love working in aged care–each individual comes with a lifetime of experiences
and memories that shape your whole perspective on life.
Aged Care
Working Party
In 2015 an Aged Care Working Party was established to bring together a panel of experienced speech
pathologists with clinical and research interests and expertise in the ageing and aged care space.
The working party will play an instrumental role in informing the profession’s strategic response
to future aged care reforms. meet The members of the working party.
In Focus - Aged care