The Australian population is ageing. Over the past two decades, the number of persons aged 85 years and over increased by 141.2%, compared with a total population growth of 32.4 over the same period (source: abs.gov.au).
This has resulted in an increased demand for a variety of jobs in aged care to meet the needs of our Elderly both in-home/community care, and residential aged care. The rapid boom of employment opportunities in community care and aged care is set to skyrocket even further, potentially putting our seniors at risk due to workplace shortages in the sector. Eldercare is traditionally somewhat overlooked by nursing graduates and young professionals. So how do we change this age-old perception?
Employment opportunities in aged care
Home and Community Care Workers provide more than just clinical and personal care to Elderly clients. A Carer will often become ‘like family’ to an Elderly person. Loneliness and lack of connection and companionship is a common problem nowadays. Just knowing that you have made a difference to the lives of your clients is a huge reward in itself. A Nurse, Carer or Community Care worker who has autonomy and is positively supported by their employer will generally experience genuine job satisfaction and be content in their role, often choosing to continue to work in the industry for the long term. If you are a natural born carer, you have patience and empathy, and if you prefer not to look at the same four walls each day, pursuing a career in community care could be a great option for you.
Aged care communities, homes and facilities are also a great place to work if you have all of the above-mentioned attributes, however, you prefer to plant your feet firmly on the ground in the one place as opposed to travelling on a daily basis. Aged care communities employ Nurses and Personal Care Workers. But what a lot of people don’t know is there are a range of complementary roles to be filled in aged care communities, such as:
- Cooks/chefs
- Maintenance managers
- Gardeners/groundspeople
- Community managers
- Lifestyle coordinators
- Hair/beauty
- Physiotherapists/podiatrists
Elder care is a great industry to work in, it is challenging yet rewarding. The days go fast, you are always busy, you’ll never be bored, you make lots of friends and you learn a new piece of history every day! At Envigor Home Care we embrace enthusiasm. So whether you are 17 or 75, a skilled healthcare professional wanting to make a difference or a retiree who enjoys sitting, chatting and listening, consider a career with Envigor.