5 Things You Might Not Realise About Working In Aged Care

Have you ever considered working in aged care? It’s a thoroughly rewarding career and here are some of the reasons why:

1. You are making a difference.

Many jobs these days are largely thankless. Some may question whether their jobs are a waste of their time and energy.

What you find when you work with people who are vulnerable and rely on you, is that you are genuinely making a difference in their daily lives. Guaranteed to make your day feel productive,  you will feel as if you’re having a positive impact on your community.

2. You are learning daily lessons about your own health.

Working with those nearing the end of their lives is very likely to make you take stock of your own health, both physical and mental. This may make you more aware of what you are eating, how much you are exercising, what you are doing to keep your mind sharp and your attitude and outlook positive.

If you are a smoker or a heavy drinker you might decide to give up or cut down in order to live a longer and healthier life.

3. You develop a deep respect for resilience. 

It’s very easy to get bogged down in the daily struggles of your own life. Some may flippantly refer to these as ‘first world problems’, but when they’re happening to you they feel huge.

Resilience in life is key and when you see in the elderly the way resilience builds over the course of a lifetime you start to really ‘get it’ for yourself. You begin to develop a greater sense of scope. This can have a lasting benefit, particularly when it comes to dealing with difficult situations.

4. You really understand how important social connectedness is.

When you work with the elderly you see how much any small interaction or visit from family means to them, how much they brighten when you sit down and chat with them. We are naturally social creatures (some just take a little more work). You will quickly realise the true value of social interaction when working with those nearing the end of their lives.

Understanding this will hopefully make you work harder on your own relationships with family and friends.

5. You witness miracles.

There are lots of miracles in aged care. Whether it be a dementia patient reacting to animal therapy or music, or a stroke patient learning to talk again.

When you work in aged care you see things that people thought were impossible.

And while working in aged care is far from glamorous, the rewards you will receive far outweigh the cons of the job. At Infinite Care we are always looking for wonderful staff and volunteers. We advertise our positions on our website. If you are looking for a rewarding way to spend your work days, we’d love you to get in touch.

DISCLAIMER: This document and the information contained herein is provided for general use and informational purposes only. It should not be considered personal advice in relation to legal, financial or healthcare matters. You are encouraged to consult other sources to confirm the information contained in this document, and if appropriate, seek independent expert advice from an appropriately qualified legal practitioner, financial advisor or healthcare professional.  Infinite Care Pty Ltd and its related parties do not represent, guarantee or accept any liability whatsoever in respect of the accuracy, currency or completeness of any of the material contained in this document. This document may not be reproduced or published in any way or by any means without our prior written consent.