Australia’s growing ageing population and workforce shortages impact all generations, not only seniors.

Through strategic recruitment efforts and getting passionate workers into care jobs, we can help seniors across the country receive the support they need now and in years to come.

Australians are expected to live longer and healthier than ever before. The number of people over 65 is set to double in the next 40 years, according to the government’s latest Intergenerational Report.

While living longer and healthier is great news, data from the National Mental Health Commission also shows that seniors are more likely to experience loneliness. This is reflected in having fewer close relationships in retirement, health conditions, and living alone in their own homes. In fact, nearly one in five (19 per cent) of people aged 75 and older reported feeling lonely.

A core part of home care work is providing support to combat loneliness. For many seniors, care workers provide the added benefits of developing and maintaining vital connections on a regular basis and encourage a sense of participation with friends, family and in the community.

According to the data, addressing loneliness can even help prevent further chronic physical conditions like heart disease, stroke and even dementia.

Seniors are increasingly choosing to live independent lives at home. Research by National Seniors Australia showed 92 per cent of Australians want to stay at home as they age.

Focusing on home care can potentially reduce seniors’ need to prematurely enter aged care homes. Between 2012 and 2022, the number of Australians receiving Commonwealth-funded home care packages — support from the government to cover the costs of accommodation and specific care needs — nearly quadrupled from 55,000 to 216,000.

This rise in seniors requiring support needs to be met with a proportional rise in the availability of people trained to provide support.

CEDA forecasts the need for care and support workers will continue to grow, and by 2030 the Australian care sector will need at least 110,000 more support workers.

Remedying the workforce shortage starts with the simple step of getting more people engaged in the sector. The government-funded Home Care Workforce Support Program (HCWSP) aims to do so by attracting, training and recruiting more aged care workers.

We are delivering the free-to-join program in NSW and the ACT, helping aspiring care workers access opportunities, apply for the roles they are best suited for and upskill with free training where needed.

On an individual level, home care work offers a wide range of flexible work styles that can be both indoors and outdoors, and create a work-life balance with casual, part-time and full-time roles.

Home care is one of the unique careers where you can witness first-hand the positive impact of your work. That sense of fulfilment and knowing you have made a difference in someone’s life is what support workers who are already in the care sector say is the highlight of their work.

If you are considering a new career, changing industries, or looking to help someone and make a difference, working in home care might be a great fit.

Start your journey today by registering your interest in the Home Care Workforce Support Program here, or call us on 1800 849 010.

Kerry took a leap into home care after a rewarding 25-year career in community pharmacy, driven by her unwavering compassion for helping seniors.

Having already spent much of her career in the pharmacy assisting older people, home care seemed a perfect fit.

Looking back on her transition, Kerry said the decision to join SSI’s Home Care Workforce Support Program was easy and she felt supported every step of the way.

“It took me about a month from the time I contacted SSI to starting my job. They made it simple and were very helpful. The staff called me every few days to see what was happening,” she said.

The transition from a strict five-day workweek in pharmacy to choosing her own work hours at Catholic Healthcare was ideal for Kerry. She liked to do other things three days a week, and on those days she would begin work at one o’clock, which suited her lifestyle. Gradually Kerry shifted back to full-time work as she enjoyed her new role helping the elderly so much.

In addition to embracing flexibility, one of the most rewarding aspects of Kerry’s work is the social connection she provides to those she cares for. Many elderly individuals do not get the opportunity to interact with others on a regular basis.

“Just by helping them to continue to live at home, where they feel most comfortable, I can brighten their day with my visits,” she reflected.

Kerry also recognised that while many elderly individuals had given so much to others throughout their lives, they now needed assistance to keep their independence.

“They’ve worked hard all their life and it’s nice to give back,” said Kerry.

For these seniors, Kerry’s visits aren’t just about chores; they are a chance to share stories, make connections and even enjoy a simple cup of tea together.

She enjoys getting to know the seniors she cares for and finding out what they’re interested in.

“By introducing their interests back to them, it gives them a purpose,” she noted.

One of the seniors Kerry supports once revealed that his father used to teach budgies to whistle. Because he lived alone, she seized the opportunity to help him get a budgie of his own.

“When I recently visited him, he told me, ‘I’m so happy I got a budgie. It’s made me so happy. I wouldn’t give him away for anything’,” she recalled.

Prior to his new colourful companion, Kerry’s client rarely got out of bed. Having a sense of purpose and something to care for every day has, in her words, ‘made a big difference’.

Watch Kerry’s full story here.

Learn how SSI’s Home Care Workforce Support Program can help you to build a meaningful care career here.

If you’re on the lookout for work that is both meaningful and flexible, with a range of career opportunities, then home care could be the perfect fit.

While you might have some idea of what the role involves, there is often a lot more to a job than you might realise.

We’re shining a light on five aspects that can help you decide if home care is the right profession for you.

Think being a home care worker means being indoors all day? Think again. While providing essential support at home is part of the job, it goes way beyond the home.

Home care workers spend time supporting seniors as they go out and about enjoying life, and across a variety of outdoor activities. From going out for walks to doing grocery shopping, taking seniors to doctor’s appointments or enjoying a cup of tea at a local café, there is often something to do outside.

If you are more of an indoors person, you won’t be disappointed either as there’s a balanced mix of outdoor and indoor activities. The latter may include assisting with meal prep and light cleaning, enjoying a chat over a meal or helping with ironing.

Home care is the ideal match for anyone seeking flexible work that adapts to their lifestyle – whether you’re looking to kickstart a new career, need to juggle work with studying or family commitments, or want to have a side hustle that makes a difference in someone’s life.

You can customise your work to suit your needs and choose full-time, part-time, or casual hours – it is up to you. You also have the freedom to decide where you want to work, making it a great choice for those who want to stay close to home or university or are looking to work around a specific area.

No matter your background or previous experience, you can be a great candidate to build a meaningful career in home care if you have a sincere desire to help others.

Another plus, no prior qualifications are required, as we can help you get the qualifications you need to build a career in home care.

The government-funded Home Care Workforce Support Program, delivered in NSW and the ACT by SSI, assists you with everything you need to secure a role as a home care worker – from guidance in preparing your CV to organising regulatory checks and undertaking free non-accredited and accredited training like First Aid training. At SSI, we equip you with the skills you need to provide quality care to seniors.

Getting started is free and easy.

Nothing beats the feeling of going home from work every day knowing you made a meaningful difference in someone’s life. Many carers discover this is the best part of the job because when you give back, you get back even more.

You get the unique opportunity to learn from someone else – someone with years of experience and a wealth of knowledge. Care and support workers go on to form connections with the people they support, often finding that even the smallest shared moments can have a huge impact.

Home care is a rewarding journey that benefits both the carer and the senior, creating life-changing experiences, gaining insightful learnings and witnessing the impact of your work.

Home care offers a wide range of growth and career opportunities. For example, you could go on to become a Care Coordinator or Home Care Manager, or you could use your skills learnt on the job as a springboard into nursing and allied health.

CEO of Eremea Home Care Services Vicki Zalalas entered the sector as a support worker and then started her own business, which she has grown in the past 20 years.

“This job is life-changing, flexible, long-term and full of opportunities. There are many options available in the sector to build a career,” said Vicki.

For more inspiration, take a look at SSI’s Home Care Career Roadmap, which outlines the multiple options available in the sector for advancement and growth.

Start your career journey into home care today by registering your interest at ssi.org.au/homecare or calling us on 1800 849 010.

Our support is tailored to your unique situation and completely free of charge.

After 13 years working in retail, Jenny had an operation that prompted her to move into home care, a career she had often considered but hadn’t had the opportunity to explore.

Planning her career change, Jenny discovered the Home Care Workforce Support Program (HCWSP), an SSI-supported program aimed to support, skill and empower home care workers to deliver safe, high-quality care for seniors in Australia.

Having always enjoyed spending time with her mother and her mother’s friends, Jenny decided to register onto the program after seeing an ad online. Within a month, SSI had supported Jenny in securing three potential roles in home care – she chose the one closest to her and joined aged care service provider Our Lady of Consolation.

Eleven months into role, Jenny wished she had made the switch years earlier.

“What I enjoy about my role is putting a smile on the faces of my clients,” Jenny said.

“Just knowing I’m helping my clients continue to live at home, where they feel most comfortable, is very rewarding to me.”

Jenny added, “I was surprised how lonely older people are in the community. Some seniors have never been married. Some have no children. Some have lost their partner, so they have no one to help them.”

Home care is not an accessible option for many seniors, as Australia grapples with talent shortages affecting the home care sector. Reports estimate the nation will need 110,000 more home care workers in the next 10 years – a trend influenced, in part, by seniors’ growing preference to stay at home.

“You don’t realise how much seniors need our support until you go out and work with them,” Jenny said.

“There is this lady I take shopping. She just loves to get out, and although her movement is very slow, just going to the shops and having a coffee and a lemon tart makes her day.”

For Jenny, her role as a home care worker is never the same. Sometimes it can involve doing light housework, taking seniors to doctor’s appointments, preparing a meal or just making a cuppa and having a chat.

“For some clients, we are the only people they see, so sitting to talk to them brightens their day.”

Jenny is interested in building a career in home care, so she’s taken on one of the development initiatives offered by the Home Care Workforce Support Program and is currently completing a Certificate III in Individual Support.

“I’m doing my Certificate III by correspondence, which suits me perfectly because I can study and work at the same time,” Jenny explained.

“SSI has been such a great support for me. Not only did they help me to secure a job in the first place but also, they continue to provide ongoing upskilling and growth support through my studies.”

SSI aims to boost the care workforce with 4,400 new support workers in NSW and the ACT by mid-2024 through its delivery of the Home Care Workforce Support Program.

The program is free and open to people with an empathetic nature who seek a rewarding, long-term and meaningful career caring for Australia’s seniors.