This afternoon about 150 people joined a picket line outside Ardiva’s Village at the Park, a residential aged care facility in Newtown, Wellington.
The lively crowd included residents from Village at the Park, their families, workers, and neighbours from the wider Newtown community. The event was hosted by E tū and NZNO.
With Arvida proposing to cut over 400 hours a week from care workers, nurses, and activity coordinators, the picketers had deep concerns about the impact on affected workers and the care they can provide.
E tū delegate and care worker Rita Narendra, who spoke at the rally, worries about the impact of the proposed cuts on residents.
“With fewer staff, we won't be able to care for all of them because there won't be enough time,” Rita says.
“I don't want any resident to stay in bed until the end of the shift. I don't want to see residents not getting up to enjoy their life as they always do. I don't want to see any resident ringing the bell with no one attending to them. It's very sad.
“Cutting staff means we won't be able to spend time with them, to listen and ask questions. It's not just about care, it's about listening to them and spending time with them, so they feel like this is still home. We don't want to take anything away from them.
“I want Arvida to know they've been providing a beautiful service for years. Why change now? Their name is held in high regard. People talk positively about this place, so why go back? Why not continue providing quality life for these residents who appreciate it so much? That's my biggest question.”
NZNO care workers Charith Weerasuriya Arachchige and Nama Wiejesinghe share the sentiment.
“We feel huge frustration. How am I to give my all? We are not working with machines, they are humans,” Charith says.
“It’s hard because we are dealing with emotional stress, not just physical, and we need to have good mental health,” Nama says.
Village at the Park resident Lew Skinner spoke on behalf of independent living residents at the facility. He knows that the proposed cuts don’t make sense.
“No one sees staff sitting around doing nothing – we see no fat in the system,” Lew says.
“These proposals affect all of us. Independent residents are part of the Village at the Park ‘Living Well’ community, many are one short step away from moving into the care units.
“Residents and their relatives are dismayed they had not been clearly told by Arvida what is happening – the two letters they’ve received had given no real information and had just confused people.
“We recognise there are financial challenges. We do not believe the solution to this problem lies in cutting the numbers of staff, who are the lowest paid and most vital to resident well-being.”