Aged care shortages solved as revolutionary program prepares to hit the Riverina

Up to 15 workers will arrive in Coolamon all the way from the Philippines by mid-November as part of an initiative to address Riverina staff shortages.

The workers will fill crucial vacancies at the Coolamon Council-run Allawah Lodge and taking up accommodation that the council built for such an outcome.

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"It's great and shows just how much commitment the council is putting into this," employment facilitator for the Murray Riverina Local Jobs Program, Angela Rey said.

"As a result, the council has been able to open up a wing that has been closed for some time."

Ms Rey played a key role in bringing the workers to the region, as did Groworx founder and CEO Dan Sandiford.

Groworx trains up specialised healthcare workers in the Philippines and provides a pathway for them to work in Australia.

Mr Sandiford said the project will send in excess of 50 workers to Riverina towns including Albury and Finley in the coming months.

"It's really exciting," Mr Sandiford said.

He said the Philippines-based company trains aged care workers to Australian standards and is then able to send them to where aged care staff are required across the country.

Mr Sandiford said being involved in the process is really rewarding.

"It's like a double benefit because we're giving Filipinos the opportunity to relocate... to Australia and they send money back, alleviating poverty in their home country," he said.

He said it's also "heartwarming" to see the impact the program is having on local communities here.

"It's a really heartwarming and life-affirming thing we are doing," he said.

Mr Sandiford said there is currently a shortage of up to 60,000 aged care workers in regional towns nation-wide.

The vision for the Riverina Regional Hub program is to inject over 1000 workers over the next two years into the region, all with the ambition and long term VISA pathways to build a life in the local communities.

Another issue facing the aged care sector is staff-retention, with Mr Sandiford citing an attrition rate as high as 43 per cent.

He said elderly residents need consistency, and the new Filipino workers can provide that.

"Our workers will stay with providers for at least three to four years, that's just part of the visa [requirements] and the structure of the program," he said.

Coolamon general manager Tony Donoghue welcomed the impending arrival of the workers and threw his support behind the program.

"These workers want to build their lives here," Mr Donoghue said.

"This is important for providing better care for the elderly and keeping the inter-generational community ties together."

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