Considering a career in care work? If so, you might be surprised to find many types of care worker vacancies on the market – not to mention the different qualifications required for these jobs.
Aged care and disability care both rely on compassionate people to look after others impacted by their age or condition. Yet these are separate systems with their own services and care teams required to fulfil the needs of those in our society who rely on them.
So, what is the difference between aged care and disability care? In our article, we’ll explore both systems and their key differences so you can understand one from the other, ultimately helping you decide which of these rewarding career paths is right for you.
Table of Contents:
- What is Aged Care?
- What is Disability Care?
- Key Differences between Aged Care and Disability Care
- Daily responsibilities
- Required skills
- Courses and qualifications
- Career opportunities
- Average salaries
- Aged Care vs Disability Care: Which One is Right for You?
What is Aged Care?
There’s no doubt Australia has an ageing population, with almost a quarter (23%) of our citizens projected to reach the over-65 demographic by 2066.
The term ‘Aged Care’ refers to government-led support for older adults who require help with daily tasks, healthcare, and social engagement due to their age. It includes a broad spectrum of services such as personal assistance, nursing, therapy, meal preparation, housekeeping, and social activities, all tailored to the specific needs of everyone.
These services help ensure elderly Australians enjoy a high quality of life, receive appropriate medical care, and live with dignity and respect, whether in their own homes or a residential care facility. While medical teams address a client’s complex needs, an Aged Care Worker provides essential support with daily living activities and basic emotional and social needs, ensuring our nation’s older citizens live happy and healthy lives during their senior years.
Aged care work can be highly demanding and comes with much responsibility. Yet it also delivers many personal rewards to individuals performing this role, providing a lifeline to older people.
What is Disability Care?
Over 4 million Australians have disabilities – that’s 1 in 5 people in Queensland alone – and many of those disabilities are significant enough to require daily support.
The government created the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 2013 to provide funding and services for individuals impacted by disability, helping them to access a range of support to make life easier – among them, professional care.
While some people live permanently in a residential care facility, most with disability prefer to live at home. The NDIS allows those individuals at home to access the precise care they need while continuing to live independently. And this is where a care worker steps in, responsible for providing in-home support to individuals in this position.
A Disability Care Worker may visit their clients daily or stay in their home permanently, depending on the complexity of their needs. Either way, it is both challenging and rewarding, caring for some of our nation’s most needy.
Key Differences Between Aged Care and Disability Care
Daily responsibilities
When you delve into the primary duties of an aged care or disability carer you will see many are similar. Of course, with every client having different needs, there is no set-in-stone job description for either role; instead, there is a list of potential tasks you’ll find yourself doing, most of them regularly.
Common Aged Care Worker duties include:
- Personal Care: Providing assistance with essential activities like bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting, plus support to get in and out of bed, vehicles, or use mobility aids.
- Health and Medical Care: Assisting clients to take their prescribed medications, monitoring their effects, and ensuring they are taken as directed.
- Emotional and Social Support: Offering companionship to reduce loneliness and isolation, and encouraging participation in social, recreational, and therapeutic activities.
- Documentation and Communication: Documenting care provided, changes in health status, and any incidents or concerns, and communicating with health professionals and other stakeholders to ensure a collaborative approach.
- Household Tasks (for clients living in their homes): Preparing meals, assisting with feeding, and performing housekeeping duties such as cleaning, laundry, and maintaining a safe and tidy home.
Key duties of a Disability Support Worker include:
- Personal Care: Assisting with critical daily activities, including bathing, grooming, dressing, and toileting.
- Mobility and Health Support: Providing support with mobility, assisting clients to take their prescribed medications, monitoring their effects, and ensuring they are taken as directed.
- Emotional and Social Support: Offering emotional support, companionship, and facilitating social and recreational outings.
- Household and Safety Tasks: Preparing meals, assisting with feeding, performing housekeeping duties, and ensuring a safe and hygienic environment.
- Documentation and Advocacy: Keeping accurate records of care, communicating with healthcare professionals, and advocating for the individual’s needs and rights.
Whoever you are caring for, it’s essential to understand your client’s precise needs so you can offer the right support and have a positive impact on their quality of life.
Required skills
When it comes to supporting people in need, there are various attributes required – fortunately, many overlapping and beneficial to any field of care work.
Below are some of the desirable soft skills of a care worker who supports older adults or people with disabilities.
Empathy and compassion: Lots of older people or those with disabilities feel frustrated about their condition and reliance on your support. Showing genuine compassion towards your clients and empathising with their concerns and situation is crucial to avoid them becoming distressed.
Communication skills: The ability to listen, understand and speak with your client, their family and other healthcare professionals effectively is critical in an aged care or disability care role.
Problem-solving skills: Whether it’s an older adult or one with disability you’re caring for, you will often need to find creative solutions to problems in their daily lives and activities.
Reliability: Trust is critical in care work and your client needs to know they can rely on you at all times.
Teamwork: While you often work alone with a client, you will eventually be required to collaborate with other healthcare professionals and apply a team approach to your duties.
Physical Stamina: Looking after older adults or those with disabilities can be physically demanding, and it requires strength and energy to perform some tasks safely.
Emotional Resilience: Above all else, you need to be resilient to work in the care sector, handling the emotional demands of the job and always maintaining a positive outlook.
Courses and qualifications
Most healthcare employers look to hire trained professionals in a carer role, and there are several qualifications designed to provide the practical skills necessary in this industry.
Aged care work
If you think you want to focus on caring for older people, either at home or in a care facility, the best course to start your journey is the Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing).
This qualification teaches students numerous practical skills to support people living with a disability at home or in a care residence. Considered as an entry-level qualification, it consists of theory, practical and work-based learning so you can care for older people effectively. It is not considered difficult, with most students completing the course within twelve months.
Disability care work
If supporting people with disabilities is your preference, you will need to complete the Certificate III in Individual Support (Disability).
This entry-level course gives students the skills to support and empower people living with disabilities. You will learn how to fulfil the critical functions of a Disability Support Worker and encourage community participation. Most students pass the course successfully within a year.
Aged care or disability care work
Perhaps you’re unsure where to focus your care work and would prefer to keep your options open. If this is you, the Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing & Disability) would be your best option for study.
This course teaches you all the skills required to look after older adults, those with disabilities, or people who fall under both categories. On completing the course – which takes twelve months on average – you can choose whether to pursue employment in aged care or disability care.
Career opportunities
If you’re wondering what to expect once you’re formally qualified as a care worker, we have great news. Healthcare is touted as one of the biggest growth areas Australia-wide, Queensland included, meaning you will never be short of employment opportunities – at least, if the growth predictions are correct and the aged care and disability sectors both increase by 25%, as expected.
So, whether you’re leaning towards supporting older people or those with disabilities, you will continue to find plenty of roles available in Queensland in either field.
Average salaries
Once you are qualified, the financial rewards on offer in individual healthcare work are impressive.
According to the online job site Indeed, the average salary for an Aged Care Worker in Brisbane is $75k annually – exceeding the average salary both regionally and nationally.
Or, if you’re keen to support people with disabilities, job site Seek reports that you can expect to earn approximately $75k annually as a Disability Support Worker in Queensland.
Aged Care vs Disability Care: Which One is Right for You?
It all comes down to personal choice, and nobody can answer this question but you!
Either field will offer you a respectable salary, ongoing work opportunities and personal rewards for helping others to live happily and healthily.
Collaboration Learning in Queensland can help you prepare for work in aged care or start a fulfilling career as a Disability Care Worker. Complete a Certificate III in Individual Support with our expert tutors and get ready to enjoy your career in this fast-growing sector.
