A Career in Aged Care
Everything you need to know
How did you start caring for others?
Maybe you volunteer informally or look after a loved one, young or old, able-bodied or someone living with a disability?
Maybe you’ve found yourself in a job or at a facility of sorts, working as a carer and circumstances put you there?
Maybe you are making a career switch?
Right now thousands of Autralians are providing care...
In their home
Home Care
In someone else's home
Personal / Home Care
In a facility for example:
Aged Care Facility
For many reasons, personal or otherwise, you may need to think about a formal qualification in personal or aged care.
A qualification has many options and pathways waiting for you...
Welcome to a wonderful world of opportunity.
Learn everything you need to know as a...
Personal Care Worker
Aged Care Worker
Respite & Home Care Worker
Disability Support Worker
‘Why?’ start a career in aged care?
Download the Guide
Exploring the state of aged care in Australia and motivating
Why the timing is prime to develop a career in aged care.
Who is a role in aged care best suited for?
A ‘Care’ worker needs to be compassionate, a positive person who isn’t afraid to work hard. Working with people means one should always be polite, patient and a good communicator who believes strongly in caring for the elderly or sick and not afraid of undertaking tasks that may, at some times, be confronting.
This makes a strong candidate, one who is interested in the fulfilment and satisfaction that comes with helping others and surpasses the challenges of the job.
In the role of a care assistant, one will be:
- Committed to health & safety
- Well organised and reliable
- Excellent in communication and people skills
- Positive and have a compassionate attitude
- Demonstrate strong ethics in the role
- Able to deal with the physical stamina required in this role
Aged care workers bring the human with them to work every day. It is a highly emotional but rewarding role, requiring genuine care.
What does a day in the life of a care worker look like?
Personal care and aged care is more than a career, it's a lifestyle.
It’s about the people.
For patients, a lifeline. For care workers, it is one of the most rewarding jobs one can do.
Care Workers need to think about other people and a role requires: social support; kindness, empathy, someone to talk to so patients know that someone who cares, is there to look after them.
Some tasks included in a care workers role:
- Implementing care programs for clients in residential care facilities
- Liaising with other health care professionals, family members and carers
- Ensure clients receive their medication on time
- Support clients who can’t move on their own Help clients dress, bathe, eat etc.
- Assist clients with physical therapy exercises
- Cook meals according to the customer’s restrictions
- Help customers with their shopping
- Do necessary housekeeping to maintain a clean environment
- Provide emotional support
- Inform physicians or supervisors about uncommon events
- Providing companionship and support during daily activities
- Supporting strategies for managing dementia and other health issues
- Delivering activities that promote emotional and intellectual stimulation
- Maintaining a safe living environment by minimising or removing safety risks or hazards
- Using equipment to assist clients with limited mobility such as hoists, swivel cushions and wheelchairs
- Act quickly and responsibly in cases of emergency
About National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Plans
Some clients (in their homes) may have an NDIS plan for their care and select their NDIS provider to manage and deliver the care plan, through you, their Personal Care Worker and the carer employed by the NDIS provider.
Bevan McPherson, course adviser and expert in aged care
talks through what is involved in a care workers' job or role
How long does it take to become a fully qualified care worker?
You can become well trained and fully qualified as a Personal Care Worker in just over 6 months (less if you have previously complete a short course) by enrolling into the CHC33015 Certificate III in Individual Support or after you complete the short course and become competent and fully qualified within 6 months.
What type of opportunities are available?
Aged care work may include; Nursing Assistant, Home Care Assistant, Healthcare Worker, Community Care Worker, Personal Care Worker, Patient Services Assistant, Elderly Aid.
Why an aged care course?
Key motivating factors powering a course in aged care
- We have a massive challenge and responsibility on our hands...elderly people are the most vulnerable people in our population today.
- With an ageing population comes the greater responsibility to look after and take care of our elderly, more vulnerable and ageing people in our society.
Why?
- Lack of quality in aged care providers and their care has lead to distrust, disappointment, disillusionment in the industry and indeed even the Royal Commission into aged care.
- Lack of quality training and massive skill shortages in the aged care sector/industry
- May have lost your job due to COVID and need to quickly up skill to get into aged care with the right course and qualifications
Why get into aged care?
If you’re the right person with the right heart and mind, the timing is perfect and ripe for you to move into aged care:
- Loved ones and ageing parents may require help
- Are we in an aged care crisis that needs you?
- Tips and things to know if already ‘caring’ for others
- Royal commission findings raise the standard in aged care
- Up-skill in what we may be doing already?
‘Why?’ start a career in aged care?
Download the Guide
Exploring the state of aged care in Australia and motivating
Why the timing is prime to develop a career in aged care.
The Australian Government’s position and the driving force behind Australia’s push to improved aged care
The significant rise in our ageing population needing help has led to the implementation of the Federal Government's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). At the same time there has been a significant growth in the number of aged care Residential providers, which has led to the lack of quality caring and some abuse of the clients in these facilities. This in turn, sparked the Royal Commission into aged care and the 148 recommendations to the Government, many of which related to the lack of quality training and the increasing need to meet critical skill shortages in the aged care sector and need to train new staff to fill the positions. The government adopted many of the recommendations of the RC.
The Federal Government's National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is designed to encourage older people and those living with a disability to remain at home as long as they can but still get the funding and support they need and have the right to choose their own support provider and their Personal Care Workers who will come into their home to look after them.
148
Recommendations
Download the consolidated, easy-to-read guide.
Royal Commission Report
Summary Download
Opportunities for a career in Aged Care
Where do the opportunities lie?
- The care workforce is central to the quality of aged care in Australia
- By 2050, the aged care workforce will grow to 1,000,000 people employed in this industry
- Within the next two years, the workforce will need by 34,200 Personal Care Workers (PCW)
- By 2050, 130,000 NEW care workers will be required to meet the demand
- Currently 57% of patients in residential aged care are in level 1 and level 2 facilities (the lowest star ratings)
- The Government wants to lift the standard of care to level 3, 4 and 5 (higher star ratings), which means a higher staff to patient ratio, better accommodation, better food, better social and well-being care
- This also means growth across skilled hospitality jobs for example: Chefs and Kitchen Staff
...so, where and how do Kenvale fit in? View the Next Section.
A Short course. An introduction into aged Care
A taste to get started.
- CHCCOM005 Communicate and work in health or community services
- HLTAID011 Provide First Aid
- HLTWHS002 Follow safe work practices for direct client Care
- HLTINF001 Comply with infection prevention and control policies and procedures
- CHCCCS015 Provide individualised support
Short courses won't allow candidates to qualify for a higher paid role such as a Personal Care Worker (PCW) without completing the full Cert III in Individual Support qualification. The subjects you complete in this course will be credited against a full qualification for a more senior role.
A full course in aged Care
The main event to get stuck in.
If this sounds like you, you may be ready to get into aged care
Still uncertain and need more info?
Why choose Kenvale as a partner in your aged Care Journey?
- See How it works?
- Costs associated?
- Next steps?
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