More than Physical Support: A Realistic Look at Aged Care Worker Duties and Skills

Working in aged care is a caring, impactful career choice that involves working with elderly populations to offer them support. It requires specific soft and technical skills and workers must be prepared to undertake a wide range of responsibilities. At the end of the day, your skills and passion will see you making a momentous difference to the wellbeing, happiness and livelihoods of many elderly Australians.

So, what skills are required as an aged care worker? And what are the daily responsibilities of working in the industry?

Aged care workers are employed by an aged care provider that supports elderly Australians in their daily lives. They can work in:

You help your clients maintain their physical, emotional, and social well-being. Care services can be variable depending on the needs of your clients but can involve:

Crucial technical skills

While some aged care roles do not require formal qualifications, TAFE courses such as Certificate IV or Certificate III in Individual Support or in Aged Care teach you a range of technical skills that will give you the capability to deliver the best quality care and support. They’ll also help you ace an aged care job interview. Some of these crucial technical skills include:

Aged care work is in high demand because the Australian population is ageing and we’re living longer than in previous decades. The number and proportion of Australians aged 85 years and over is predicted to grow from half a million in 2018–19 (2% of the population) to more than 1.5 million by 2058 (3.7% of the population).

Often these longer lifespans also mean that many older people live with more chronic conditions or increased frailty which require specialised knowledge and care. More than ever, skilled workers are needed in the sector, and demand is predicted to continue increasing over the coming years.

It is crucial as well that aged care workers are passionate about what they do. It is very easy to burn out given the demands of the job. Aged care workers’ wages are below the national average, and they’re often on casual work contracts. These factors can also add to work stress.

On top of that, the COVID-19 pandemic and recent Royal Commission findings into aged care have shown that Australia’s aged care industry is complex. It currently faces serious issues, such as underfunding and substandard practices. Keeping elderly people safe and upholding their wellbeing at all times is an incredibly important job that requires dedicated and skilled carers.

Working in the aged care sector is challenging, but it’s a wonderful career opportunity to provide necessary care and support to a growing proportion of the population. Compassionate people may already have some of the necessary skills to excel, though further training will help you hone your natural abilities and have the education and confidence to best serve your clients.

Take a deeper look into the various roles within aged care.