What is the Age Care Course Duration in Australia?

Once you have completed the age care course duration, you will have mastered the following key knowledge and competencies:

• Provide individualised support: Learn how to follow a personalised care and support plan that has been developed based on the patient’s unique needs. This will include respecting patient preferences and adapting services to meet changing needs.
• Facilitate the empowerment of patients: Discover the best ways to promote patient self-reliance and ensure they know and understand their rights. Assist patients to stay informed and empower them to take control of the decisions that go into their care.
• Recognise healthy body systems: Acquire foundational knowledge of human anatomy and physiology. Learn to recognise health changes in body systems and understand how these changes can alter patient care.

   

• Work legally and ethically: Become familiar with the regulations and frameworks that support work in care settings. Gain an understanding of your legal rights and responsibilities and confidentiality, and informed consent, as well as appropriate responses to ethical dilemmas.

   

• Infection prevention and control: Learn protocols for preventing infections, and controlling their spread when they do occur. Receive instruction in techniques that include hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, safe handling of equipment and substances, and recognising infection transmission routes.

   

• Provide loss and grief support: You’ll acquire the knowledge to identify when and how to engage empathetically with clients and their families, offering helpful guidance on coping with grief and trauma, while giving essential information and support. In addition, you will also learn strategies for self-care.

   

• Provide support to people living with dementia: Learn different communication strategies and methods aimed at identifying triggers to reduce stressors for patients living with dementia, and acquire insights into providing support to both the patient and their loved ones throughout the journey.
• Identify and report abuse: Become familiar with the signs of exploitation of patients and the appropriate actions to take in keeping with your role. Learn how to decide on a course of action to ensure the safety of patients and complete reporting documents.

   

• Assist clients with medication: You’ll learn how to help clients take their medication, and empower them to self-administer where appropriate. Gain an understanding of how to follow a medication plan and organisational protocols to ensure correct medication, dosage, patient, and time. Acquire skills to complete reporting and documentation procedures and ensure the safe storage and disposal of equipment.

   

• Use a palliative approach: Gain the knowledge and skills to provide compassionate palliative care by managing pain and other symptoms, safeguarding patients’ quality-of-life choices, and adhering to their advanced care directives. Learn strategies for emotional and psychological support for patients, their loved ones, and yourself.

   

• Conduct Manual Handling: Learn techniques for safely lifting and carrying heavy loads in keeping with Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) requirements. Gain the skills and knowledge to assess the difficulty of a carry against your abilities and utilise equipment to assist you where practical.