As a compassionate and caring person, you want a career where you can dedicate your energies to caring for other people.
Aged care courses can prepare you to provide specialised care to older individuals who are facing physical and mental decline associated with ageing. There are many different ways that you can pursue a career in this field. Here are our top seven jobs in aged care.
1. Personal Caregiver
No one likes to feel dependent on another person for basic tasks. For many aged and ageing individuals, the thought of losing their independence is very upsetting. As a personal caregiver, you can provide the support that an ageing individual needs to feel confident enough to continue living in their own home. Continued independence supports an ageing individual’s mental health. This job description varies based on the needs of the individual but may include organising and dispensing medications, providing suggestions for how to make the living space safer, or assisting with light housework.
2. Accommodation Support Worker
Some ageing people also have other special needs that require additional support. As an accommodation support worker, your focus is on helping a person with special needs easily access their environment. If the individual uses a wheelchair, for example, you may provide support by training other caregivers on how to safely manoeuvre the chair; accompany the client to appointments and on outings; or help him or her in their home.
3. Care Supervisor
Many ageing individuals choose to move to a residential facility instead of staying in their homes. As a care supervisor, you’ll be tasked with coordinating individualised care for many clients. You’ll have the opportunity to get to know many different people. You’ll act as an advocate for their needs and will be responsible for coordinating care that supports their physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being. A certificate 4 in aged care prepares you to supervise a larger number of clients as well as the team members responsible for their care.
4. Residential Care Worker
As a residential care worker, you provide support to individuals in their homes who can no longer care for themselves. Where a personal caregiver provides support to people who are largely still independent, this role supports individuals who cannot adequately bathe, dress, and feed themselves. This is a very hands-on role for individuals needing 24/7 care. A variety of shift times will likely be available.
5. Care Team Leader
The ageing population is a vulnerable one. Some ageing individuals cannot advocate for themselves. Some don’t know how to navigate the systems that should help them obtain care. A care team leader oversees all the people providing care to ageing people and ensures that the care being provided is of high quality, ethical, and personal. A care team leader must be compassionate, organised, and client-focused.
6. Community Programme Coordinator
Ageing can be a lonely process. As friends and loved ones pass away, there can be many lonely hours. A community centre or programme that provides activities for the aged is an important resource. As a community programme coordinator, you would organise programming that appeals to the ageing population in your community. You would likely take suggestions from participants about the types of activities they would like to have and then do all the legwork to make it happen. You will also build relationships with the people who come to the centre and work alongside their family members and other caregivers to ensure their health and safety while on outings.
7. Support Worker
In a residential facility for the ageing, support workers provide a variety of assistance to their clients. While some residents are mostly independent and only need occasional help with cleaning or lifting heavy items, others need help with daily personal care tasks. A support worker is attentive to the needs of the clients. You develop relationships with individuals and help them to communicate their needs to the appropriate team members.
There are many pathways you can choose to pursue as you work with the ageing population. As a person driven by compassion for a sometimes-marginalised group, you provide the care and support necessary to help ageing individuals continue to live their lives with independence and dignity.
