Filipino worker revitalizes Australian aged care
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April Laguros travelled from Cebu, in the Philippines, to Coolamon, New South Wales, Australia, leaving her husband and three young children behind.
She joined 14 other Filipino immigrants recruited to address a staffing crisis at Allawah Lodge, a residential aged care facility run by Coolamon Shire Council. The council had struggled to fully staff the 33-bed facility and faced the possibility of closing it, which would have meant relocating residents to facilities outside of town.
To support the new workers, the council invested $750,000 to build accommodation for the Filipino community, recognising the significant change in lifestyle from a bustling city to a small, predominantly Anglo-Saxon farming town. While the community initially expressed surprise at the sudden arrival of so many newcomers, residents and staff at Allawah Lodge quickly embraced the new team, praising their care and companionship. Not all interactions were easy.
One long-time resident initially expressed unwelcome feelings towards the new staff, but later received care from them at the same facility. Some staff members also experienced racist comments from a resident, attributing it to dementia, while others accepted it as an unfortunate part of aged care work.
After more than two years, April successfully brought her family to Coolamon, where her husband now works as a welder, and she feels grateful to be providing them with a better life in Australia.
