The Aged Care sector provides targeted health care and support services for elderly, frail, and senior individuals in the community. Aged Care services encompass a range of medical, nursing, allied health, general health, personal care, and support services. These are provided in hospitals, aged care residences, respite clinics, in an individual's own home, and in community and palliative care settings.
In Australia, the Aged Care sector provides targeted health care and support services for elderly, frail, and senior people in the community.Aged Care services encompass a range of medical, nursing, allied health, general health, personal care, and support services. These are provided in hospitals, aged care residences, respite clinics, in people’s own homes, and in community and palliative care settings.Aged Care services aim to optimise quality of life and support healthy aging.The Aged Care workforce is diverse and includes specialist and general doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, health care assistants and support staff.The Aged Care sector and workforce in Australia is set to grow and adapt into the future, especially in response to Australia’s aging population. This sector offers many pathways and opportunities for career development and advancement.
Doctors who work in Aged Care specialise in treating the elderly and geriatric medical issues including falls, frailty and mobility, incontinence, wounds, medication management and cognitive decline. They often specialise in Geriatric Medicine, Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine, or Palliative Medicine.Doctors working in Aged Care need to make a robust assessment of the elderly patient to understand their pathology and needs. They liaise with other specialists to formulate care plans. They can identify reverse pathologies for acute clinical cases and prescribe treatments which weigh up the risk of complications, such as future functional decline.These specialist doctors are important in providing leadership and continuity of care between providers. They undertake assessments of elderly people moving into aged care residences so that staff can care for them appropriately. They support patients and their families in the transition into geriatric palliative care and they provide advice to other primary care and community health practitioners.To work in Aged Care, doctors need to be registered, and may be specialising in Geriatric Medicine, Emergency medicine, Internal Medicine, General Practice, Palliative Medicine, or Psychiatry.