Page 14 - Just Better Care Possible Magazine - Issue 5

A care-er for life
Community care is a growing industry
Just over 90 per cent of home care workers spend more than one year in the profession, with almost 70 per cent spending four years or more in their roles (The Aged Care Workforce,
Department of Health, 2016). Gary and Ian, Support Professionals at Just Better Care Eastern Suburbs, have both worked in the industry for seven years, and show no signs of slowing down.
It is projected that more than 3.5 million Australians will use aged care services every year by 2050 (The Aged Care Workforce, Department of Health, 2016). Following this trend, Australia’s aged care staffing needs are predicted to grow to almost one million people by 2050.
Gary and Ian joined the industry for different reasons, but they’ve both stayed to achieve the same thing: to make a difference in other people’s lives. It wasn’t the career path they initially chose, but it’s the one they’ve stuck with.
Meet Gary
Gary never knew he would change career paths. A professional saxophonist and stand-up comedian, Gary’s talent took him to stages around the globe. He performed for troops in the Middle East and on cruise ships travelling across the Atlantic.
You might have swayed to the sound of his sax as it played on your radio, or laughed out loud when he cracked jokes on TV. He was known as an ‘amusement engineer’. The crowds loved him, but
the time came for his last on-stage performance. Rest assured, Gary was thrilled to perform his next role.
Gary’s sudden change in direction was prompted by the pending arrival of two new family members. When Gary received the news his wife was pregnant, and with twin boys no less, he made the decision to be closer to his family.
It’s a career that has it all: a stable and growing workforce, a person-centred approach, job satisfaction, work-life balance. It’s clear why the community care industry is booming – and why care workers experience career longevity.
14 — JUST BETTER CARE
POSSIBLE
PHOTO BY SGT MARK DORAN
Over the moon that he would soon be a dad, he wanted to find a job where he could support his wife and children.
“I’ve been a professional entertainer my whole life and I loved it, but I wanted a job where I could spend time with my boys – take them to school and go to the park and play soccer,” he said.
“I also wanted a job where I could help people and make a difference.”
Gary enrolled in a Certificate III in Aged and Disability Care and completed his training at a residential facility. Soon after,