Home Care Worker / Coordinator
Job Description
A Home & Community Care Coordinator, is responsible for coordinating the health and wellbeing of the elderly population and those with disabilities, who are no longer capable of caring for themselves.
A Home & Community Care Coordinator will typically oversee care and lead a team to ensure they are rostered and scheduled to cover a wide range of clients over a set geographical area. They ensure the team does the following:
- Showering, dressing, toileting and personal hygiene
- Shopping, meal preparation and meal consumption
- Household chores - cleaning, laundry, change bedding
- Provides emotional support and companionship
- Assist with social outings, shopping and appointments
- Liaise with social works and other service providers
- Communicate with family and friends of the client
To work in the aged care industry you can start out in an Assistant in Nursing role. To work in this capacity you need to complete a qualification such as a Certificate III in Health Services or Certificate III in Aged Care. This qualification includes a mandatory 120 hours of work placement training. You can then progress from this role, to Endorsed Nurse, Endorsed Enrolled Nurse and then Registered Nurse.
Prior to becoming an 'Aged Care Registered Nurse' you will need to have all the practical experience and qualifications of a Registered Nurse (RN) with at least three years practical full time experience. Registered Nurses work as part of a multidisciplinary team alongside other skilled professionals including doctors, surgeons, specialists, therapists, specialty nurses, social workers and many others to provide ongoing patient care to people who are sick, disabled, injured or recovering from surgery. Registered nurses deliver primary health care predominantly in hospitals, clinics, assisted living facilities, aged care facilities, Government or military institutions, community or school settings, in the home or in outpatient facilities.
Read about all other Specialty Nursing Roles here
Qualifications
To work in the aged care industry you can start out in an Assistant in Nursing / Aged Care Support Worker role. To work in this capacity you need to complete a qualification such as a Certificate III in Health Services or Certificate III in Aged Care. This qualification includes a mandatory 120 hours of work placement training.
You can work at varying levels progressing your career from Aged Care Worker to Assistant in Nursing (AIN), and specialise in other roles such as Diversional Therapist, Recreation Officer, Home Care Coordinator, Case Manager and much more. You can also specialise in varying fields and branch out to specific areas within the industry. There are also opportunities to work in allied health, nursing, business administration and hospitality and domestic roles within the aged care industry.
Attributes
- Approachable
- Autonomous
- Calm
- Cheerful
- Communicator
- Compassionate
- Confident
- Courteous
- Determined
- Devoted
- Diligent
- Energetic
- Enthusiastic
- Focused
- Integrity
- Interpersonal
- Organised
- Patient
- Perceptive
- Positive
- Procedural
- Punctual
- Welcoming
Key Skills
- Aged Care Industry Practices
- Quality Improvement
- Conflict Resolution
- Client / Patient Care
- Workplace Health & Safety
- Confidentiality & Privacy
- First Aid Certificate
- Records Management
Future Prospects
You may like to think about moving on from this career, some transferable skills can be utilised in roles such as;
- Personal Care Worker
- Aged Care / Support Worker
- Extended Care Assistant
- Community Support Worker
- Leisure & Lifestyle Coordinator
- Diversional Therapy
- Recreation Officer
- Case Manager (Home Care)
- Home Care Coordinator
- Home & Community Care