Working in aged care is one of the best choices young professionals can make. It helps you develop key skills necessary to have a rewarding career, be a part of the healthcare system, and make an impact on the society. However, starting a career in aged care often requires a large set of information and an informed perspective on the routes, licenses, and roles available in aged care.
When you finish your Aged Care Courses in Adelaide, you become eligible to work in an aged care field. In the other word, an aged care course in Adelaide is a doorway to the aged care industries.
Since it can get a little intimidated to go through all the information by yourself, we have curated a list of all the information you will need to get started:
1. Types of Roles in Aged Care
Aged Care is a term used to describe an entire industry. Hence, by design, there are several roles and responsibilities available in the industry. There are aged citizens living in hospitals, dedicated care centres, and even in their personal spaces. Aged Care professionals often tend to adapt their approach to assisting a patient and the other professionals around them, depending on the space where they are providing their service.
Generally, you will find roles like an Aged Care Worker or a Personal Carer. This individual focuses on a smaller set of patients and helps them with everyday tasks. There are roles like Residential Support Worker, where you would be working with an organized facility and helping the team and residents with everyday tasks beyond the scope of their expertise.
Community Support Worker is an individual who ensures the residents in a facility engage in community building exercises and have a sense of belonging. Finally, there are roles like Assistant to a Nurse or Registered Nurse. Usually, these are the two roles that work on the medical front of needs for aged people.
Also Read: Some basic things you should know about elderly care and aged care courses
2. Core Skills Necessary to Excel in Aged Care
You will need a certain set of defined skills to do your job. These skill sets often include having a service orientation that helps you focus on the task at hand with empathy. You should have social perceptiveness and active listening skills, that help you understand the social context of what an aged person would go through and can help you understand what an aged person wants. You should also have effective communication skills that help you direct aged people whenever necessary. Along with these, you should be able to monitor the situation and the person with utmost precision.
An understanding of customer service often tends to be a common foundational skill that helps you perform your job with greater effectiveness. Having a good grip on English as a spoken and written language would also help. You can also use your training to equip yourself with a basic understanding of psychology and management.
3. Routes to Becoming an Aged Care Professional
You can choose any of the two routes to become an aged care professional:a. Academic Qualification This is one of the more common routes. You can take a Vocational Education & Training course in aged care or individual care.
b. Registered Training You can get practical training from a Registered Training Organization that will prepare you for the job.
Also Read: How an aged care courses benefits a nursing student's career
4. Types of Aged Care Qualifications
Usually, professionals who excel in an aged care career tend to have any of the following certifications – Certificate III in Aged Care, Certificate IV in Aged Care, and Registered Nurse Courses.
5. The Value of a Career in Aged Care
You would be a professional caretaker with a compensation ranging between $40,000 to $60,000, depending on your qualifications, experience, and designation. However, much more than that, you would be making a difference to someone’s life. The fulfilment of being helpful is often considered the key reason why people enter the aged and individual care industry.