Aged Care- Australia’s Fastest-Growing Sector

November 2020

Last Updated: March 18, 2024

Australia is currently facing an intense transition period, as the economy shifts away from the resources boom and places its focus into other sectors expected to grow and remain a priority. One of the industries poised to contribute largely to this growth is Aged Care.

Currently, the Aged Care sector employs over 350,000 workers in roles such as nurses, care workers and administrative staff. Due to the current trends facing the Aged Care system and the impact of Covid-19 on the health sector, the need for such essential workers remains in high demand.

Key Trends Transforming the Sectors’ Demand

Government support during a pandemic

As the restrictions of Covid-19 evolved, so did the Aged Care sector. Due to this, the Government provided funding support to the industry, including $101.2 million towards the training of Aged Care workers in infection control. This was aimed at supporting residential and home care providers in hiring more staff while ensuring that providers were supported in improving infection control. Additionally, roughly 20,000 international nursing students had their working restrictions waived by the Government to further support the Aged care sector during that uncertain period.

Staff

The Aged Care industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia with employment projections. Due to the significant increase in ageing Australians and the Baby Boomer period, the Government predicts that 76,000 residential aged-care facilities will be needed by 2023-2024. This will therefore create job opportunities, which determines the importance of a skilled workforce.

Team-based healthcare system

The demand for such essential roles has heightened due to the popularity of a team-based healthcare system. According to the National Academy of Medicine, this process involves at least two health providers working with patients and caregivers to supply health services to individuals, families and communities. A high-performing team ensures better healthcare delivery, the safety of patients and consistency. Ultimately, this system is creating many job opportunities for future generations.

Residential care

This area offers a level of 24/7 care, immensely increasing demand for many ageing Australians who require such support. Under the Aged Care Funding Instrument Act (ACFI), the government partially covers the costs of residential facilities for elderly citizens. However, with the expected exponential increase and many older Australians having greater wealth, the Federal Government will find it challenging to fund care services continuously. This may lead to higher fees, ultimately making Australians pay more to fund this support.

In-home care

An alternative option for older Australians, in-home care allows for more independence than residential settings. It provides daily assistance with activities such as shopping, transportation and other errands, encouraging many Australians to opt for this method of care. 900 providers are currently offering care packages which are set to grow at 13% per annum, in order to cater for this growing setting.

The Importance of Quality-Trained Staff

In order to demonstrate quality care, Aged Care services must be filled with an adequate number of skilled and trained staff who are committed to providing person-centred support. In order to fulfil this, appropriate education and training is vital. Training future personal care workers consists of written work, comprehension and an immersive environment, allowing students to partake in realistic scenarios.

Partnered with Compliant Learning Resources, Didasko caters for this through Certificate III in Individual Support (specialising in Ageing).

This certificate provides training to entry-level workers who wish to fulfil roles in residential aged care facilities, community care, disability care, community-based organisations and hospitals. This course provides both practical and theory training, with the assessments and learning materials covering a variety of concepts for students to acquire new knowledge

Didasko Learning Resources supports a blended learning environment, allowing students to progress through their learning materials with ease, whilst studying on-campus or during their placement. Our content is housed within Didasko Online, which is updated regularly to maintain our pledge to continuous improvement. This ensures that students and trainers have the most effective LMS and benchmark delivery.