Protecting rural home care workers during extreme heat

Extreme heat linked to climate change is increasingly disrupting home care services in rural and regional New South Wales, placing aged care workers at heightened risk while threatening the continuity of essential services for vulnerable clients.

Charles Sturt led a three-year research project examining how extreme heat affects the delivery of home care services in rural communities. Working in partnership with BaptistCare, the university coordinated a multidisciplinary, mixed-methods study that combined weather data, interviews with workers and industry insights. The research documented the physical and psychological impacts of heatwaves on aged care staff and identified gaps in existing policy and practice related to workforce protection.

The project delivered more than 30 practical, evidence-based strategies and developed sample resources to support the introduction of heat-responsive policies and procedures in home care settings. These outcomes strengthen workforce safety and service continuity in rural areas, contributing to safer working conditions and supporting decent work in the face of climate-related risks.