When you think of your career and the impact you hope to make, what role do you see yourself in? If compassion, diligence and an appetite for a challenge are characteristics you possess, you might find yourself most happy when working in aged care.
Few industries will offer the diverse scope of work and genuine opportunity that aged care provides, not to mention the fact that you are playing an active role in caring for an aging community that has contributed so much to the world you now know.
Now that we’ve got your attention, let’s walk through what a career in aged care actually looks like and what sort of roles and benefits you can expect on the job.
Caregivers from Massachusetts play a significant role in their loved ones’ lives. They often have many responsibilities such as ensuring their loved ones are taken care of, helping them kick the bad habits, and preventing unnecessary hospital visits or even premature death. When it comes to making sure your loved ones are getting what they need in Aged Care facilities there are certain measures that can be taken to provide everything that is needed for a positive experience.
Aged care workers
If you are considering aged care jobs, you will be joining a community of like-minded individuals who are truly inspired by the work they do and never experience too many days the same. Aged care doesn’t look the same for every patient, and it’s the same for its workers.
You may find yourself stationed at a beautiful retirement village assisting community members with day to day tasks like getting to lunch, enjoying social activities and ensuring everyone is in bed for the evening. Although you could just as easily be the one who is tasked with making house calls and taking patients to their various appointments throughout the week.
There is a capacity to work across so many functions of the aged care sphere, and you will work in some truly beautiful locations along the way.
Aged care nurses
Just like aged care workers, aged care nurses have an interesting scope of work and are committed to ensuring the health and vitality of the facility members. This can be a reactive and proactive role, as it really depends on the circumstances and area in which you are stationed.
Over the last five years, aged care nursing opportunities have spiked by 11%, and this should only grow as we continue to improve and explore the opportunities of aged care. There is also a precedent for employers to fund the educational costs of registering as a nurse, provided they return to the place of work when completing this degree or certificate.
The government also makes many allowances for nursing, as this is a growing need role and they are hoping to lower the barrier to entry for future aged care nurses.
Ample opportunity and flexibility
We all know the benefits of flexible working, and we, unfortunately, know that employers will try and entice potential candidates by offering these perks. Only aged care can confidently say that flexible working arrangements are not just allowed, but they are the norm.
Casual, part-time or fulltime – whatever you prefer you will find when you start a career in aged care. You also have an opportunity for genuine growth, with workplaces promoting within and government grants to upskill at regular intervals.
It is not uncommon to hear that aged care workers have started out as a casual carer, only to one day be a facility manager and bring that wealth of knowledge to the forefront. If you have a couple of different facilities in mind when you start your job hunt, ask about future opportunities and even ask for examples so that you can get an understanding of what to expect.
You’ll never regret a career in aged care, but you may regret having not started sooner. You have the choice of completing formal education before you start, or you can enter an aged care facility and then decide which direction you wish to choose based on your findings.
