Encourage a desire to work in aged care
The ageing of the population is rarely discussed in the context of being a golden opportunity for long term career opportunities in response to increasing community needs. Employment growth is forecast to grow at a rate of 20 per cent in the next five years.
We all share a responsibility to positively encourage people to engage in this important work, through our casual conversations and in formal commentary.
The Federal Minister for Aged Care, Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, recently indicated that the number of people employed in aged care will increase from around 366,000 currently, to almost 1 million by 2050.*
This growth creates amazing opportunity. It requires careful workforce planning and innovative strategies to attract and retain high quality staff. Critically, it requires purposeful and active acknowledgement that the Australian community values this important work with those older individuals who require support from others to help them to sustain their quality of life.
The overwhelming majority of people who engage with aged care services understand the value of this work and have a positive experience. It is of great importance that workers in aged care believe that their genuine contributions in supporting the quality of life for older people are valued by the community and such messages are clearly evident to all.
Aged care workers and those thinking of this important and meaningful work deserve positive acknowledgement. This is vital if we want the workforce required to respond to the significant demand for services in our community now and projected in the future. This is critically important.
Working in aged care has a lot to do with personal values – values that reflect genuine relationships in the care and service for the benefit of others. Older people will rightly continue to expect to engage with committed people who understand the importance of this work.
What are the values of these genuinely caring individuals and what does the community desire and reasonably expect?
Values that typify aged care work include:
- Trust – doing the right thing and being responsible
- Dignity – respecting the individual and valuing diversity
- Choice – listening and supporting individual preferences.
We need to shift perceptions and appreciate the value of working with older people and their families.
For work with a sense of purpose, making a real and tangible difference in the daily lives of older people, working in aged care is a valuable and personally rewarding career choice.
*Australian Government Department of Health, 3 May 2018