Home Aged Care
Print

Aged Care

The goal of the aged care system ensures that older persons have a right to high-quality care and support, and that they obtain it. Such care and support must be safe and timely, and it must aid older people in leading active, self-determined, and meaningful lives in a safe and caring setting that allows for dignified ageing.

The Health Care and Social Assistance industry is the largest employing industry in Australia. Care workers for the Aged are expected to increase considerably as the population ages and adoption of new models of care and scopes of practice to meet changing expectations.

What does this Industry cover?

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme, Home Care Packages, and residential care are the three main types of services provided by the aged care system.

The Commonwealth Home Support Programme aims to offer basic services that help older persons retain their health, independence, and safety at home and in the community.

Home Care Packages provide a more structured and comprehensive bundle of services. There are four levels of assistance from basic care needs to high care needs. The consumer can choose their own provider.

Respite care is short-term support and care for seniors and their caregivers. Residential aged care provides support and housing for older individuals who are unable to live independently and require ongoing assistance, such as social care, housing services, and assistance with daily tasks, personal care, and clinical care.

Job hunting information

Top priority skills; Emotional intelligence, Teamwork and communication, Resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility, Problem solving, Self-management, Technical / job specific skills

Employees with technology and interpersonal skills are needed to support persons with chronic health issues, as well as in the fields of dementia care and palliative care. Alzheimer's Australia expects that over one million people will have dementia by 2056. As a result, there is a strong priority on modernising the workforce's skill mix.

Everyone is unique and there is no one-size-fits-all solution, this is where volunteers are encouraged to share a wide range of talents and hobbies with residents, providing them with new opportunities and experiences. It is also a good way to see if this is the right industry for you.

Whether working in home or residential care your role as a personal care worker entails, physical care, emotional care, assisting with personal hygiene, eating, position change and movement, exercise, documenting and reporting.

Information for further research

Peak level associations, government and major employers publish industry information. Accessing industry association sites, including member lists, is a good way of building up an understanding of an industry. Visiting employer websites and looking for careers or employment menus helps identify how employers recruit and the skills they are recruiting.

Next Steps