Taking care of the elderly and aged people is not anything less than a challenge. You have to have the essential skills and expertise along with the ability to connect with the clients in deep emotional levels to ensure their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
The need for aged care courses in Perth has seen a tremendous increase due to the rapid rise in the count of elderly across the country and the number of people who are approaching their retirement age. The increasing number of older people also demands the increased number of professionals in Aged care who can take care of the elderly people in a better way.
There is no scarcity of rewarding career opportunities in this sector, but you first need to have a proper understanding of all the ins and outs of the aged care industry before you decide on pursuing the aged care career path. Below is the detailed discussion on the aged care sector for you to go through before you take aged care training in Perth.
What Aged Care Actually Is?
Aged care simply refers to providing care and support to the elderly people of the society in their homes or at aged care service facilities. The services range from general care to specialized care, depending upon the health and medical conditions of the people.
An aged caregiver’s work might include helping an aged individual with daily chores like paying bills, handling appointments, getting groceries, cooking and cleaning. If one is taking specialized care of people going through physical disability or critical medical conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s, he or she might have to help them get dressed, feed them and maintain their hygiene.
The Aged Care Industry
Aged care is one of the most rapidly growing industries in Australia due to the massive rise in the elderly population across the country. As of now, the industry is understaffed and underfunded, requiring skilled individuals to steer it in the right direction. Apart from being skilled, the most important trait employers look for in an aged care worker is his or her caring nature. The job of an aged carer might not require excellent technical proficiency but definitely asks for being ultimately supportive and empathetic.
Not everyone has the innate qualities of being caring and supportive, so if you are the one who possesses these traits, this career path might be apt for you. With the increasing job vacancies in this sector, you would have ample job opportunities and need not worry about your job security in the upcoming decades. With the right qualifications, you can enrol yourself in certificate 3 in aged care short course and get started with your career.
Career Pathways In Aged Care Sector
Caring and catering to an elderly’s needs is not the only job role in the aged care sector. There is a myriad of career choices that you can select from depending upon your skills sets and educational qualifications. Many start as frontline workers after completing the certificate III course and serve at the ground level. Afterwards, they join a diploma or certificate IV course and secure leadership or managerial roles in the industry.
The environment the aged care workers work in also varies. They can be appointed in hospitals, aged care facilities and clinics or as personal care assistants to help the elderly with their day-to-day tasks.
Qualifications To Pursue Aged Care Career
Depending upon the roles they are hiring for, employers look for different skill sets and educational backgrounds. So, before you take up a course, be clear about your future goals and the job roles you want to secure.
One at least needs to have a high school certificate or equivalent to pursue a career in the aged care sector. For several job roles demanding medical knowledge, further education is required. Nursing and bachelor’s degrees are appropriate for such positions and have abundant growth opportunities in the future.
Other ways to enter into the aged care sector is through certification courses where you don’t have to invest much time and money, unlike the college or university programs. To start with, you can complete certificate III in aged care and apply for entry-level job positions.
Certificate III In Individual Support Course
The certificate III course qualifies any individual interested in working in the aged care sector for job roles like personal care assistant, frontline support staff, respite care worker and many more. The program provides hands-on experience to the students, which is extremely useful as many recruiters prefer practical work experience during hiring.
Certificate IV In Ageing Support Course
Certificate IV in aged care course is for workers already serving in the aged care industry who want to go higher up in the hierarchy. With the right qualifications, one can pursue this course and earn the lucrative positions of managers or supervisors.
Skills Required In Aged Care Sector
Apart from the certifications, you should essentially possess varied soft skills to be an effective aged care worker. Communication skills, patience, emotional intelligence and multi-tasking are only a few of the many. Your job responsibilities will demand physical fitness and emotional maturity to meet the requirements of different clients.
For example, a person is going through mental health issues; you have to understand the complexity of the situation accurately and do more than required to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the client. At times, you also might have to provide emotional support and companionship and adapt yourself to the lifestyle of the client.
Salaries In Aged Care Industry
The salary of an aged care worker depends on a wide range of factors like educational qualification, job location, seniority and roles and responsibilities. However, on average, the yearly pay of an aged care worker is estimated between $40,000 and $60,000. The highly-skilled workers and those who serve clients who are immobile or suffering from critical diseases get paid more.
Final Words
Now that you know how the aged care sector operates and the several components related to it, you can choose whether it is the career choice you want to proceed with. If the answer is positive, you can enrol yourself in the various aged care courses and join hands with the others in the noble deed of serving the elderly of our society.
