There's no mistaking that Australia's elderly population is growing - as it is worldwide. That's why those completing aged care courses enjoy increased service demand. Currently, 1 in 6 Australians are 65 and over, so if it's growing at this rate, many more professionals will be needed to provide the best care.
How Many Australians Are Aged 65 And Over?
As TAFE online courses in elderly care illustrate, there's an upward trend in the percentage of the population that falls into the senior category. It certainly is an industry with lots of career potential, and in this article, we look at the most common health conditions that affect how elderly care is provided.
So, What Are The Biggest Health Issues IOn Australia For Seniors?
While seniors can suffer from various health conditions, certain major illnesses and health issues are more prevalent than others. So, let's delve into that a little further by looking at the most common and what steps carers take to cater to each one.
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Arthritis
3.9 million people in Australia have arthritis, with the elderly making up a large proportion. Making it exceptionally difficult to move without experiencing intense pain, it's a degenerative condition that can rob a person of their mobility and zest for life.
What carers do: as well as helping people to deal with intense arthritic pain and providing meds and assistance with everyday tasks, there's an emotional aspect to the role of carer, offering support about the depression it can cause.
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Alzheimer's
Just over 400,000 Australians have to cope with Alzheimer's - one of several types of dementia. Online learning in the subject teaches us that it causes memory loss, a lack of focus, and mood swings, which are understandable given the confusion it can cause.
What carers do: helping people to live everyday, independent lives is first and foremost, with memory and recognition-boosting activities often carried out daily. Safeguarding also has a significant role, as later-stage patients need increasing care.
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Coronary Heart Disease
Affecting just under 600,000 people in Australia, heart disease is another condition that the elderly often suffer from. It's particularly prevalent in the elderly and is caused by factors like high cholesterol and blood pressure. It's a debilitating condition that causes fatigue, chest pain, and numbness.
What carers do: in this instance, a carer's job is to take care of everyday tasks, such as providing a heart-supporting diet. Regular mild exercise is something else you'll be involved with, as well as companionship and other enjoyable activities.
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Diabetes
Aged care courses show us that diabetes is particularly prevalent in the elderly, affecting around 1.1 million Aussies and 19% of those over 65. Type 1 and 2 require constant attention to prevent all associated health conditions, such as strokes, heart attacks, and diabetic neuropathy.
What carers do: in addition to regular everyday living support, elderly carers will help provide a diabetes-friendly diet and monitor the patient's blood sugar levels.
Elderly care involves dealing with people from all walks of life, meaning anyone joining the industry must learn how to cater to these conditions and more. As such, you'll be continually learning throughout your aged care career.
Enjoy A Rewarding Aged Care Career With OCA Short Courses
Aged care is a challenging yet hugely rewarding profession, and it's never been easier to train for than with our CPD-Endorsed. These video-based short courses make learning a genuinely enjoyable experience. Containing highly-engaging content that's been created with the help of top industry experts, courses like our Job Ready Aged Care Bundle gives you everything you need to apply for roles.
We often get told by past and present students that we offer the best online courses Australia is able to provide, and you can get a feel for what to expect by watching our short Student Study Demo. Doing so lets you see that your learning is structured to support learning and comes with 1-to-1 mentoring.
If you'd like to see our full course library covering over 20 different professional sectors, visit us today at www.onlinecoursesaustralia.edu.au, where you'll find our flexible payment options designed to make our already cost-effective online learning even more accessible.
However, if you'd prefer to speak to our team directly about your learning needs, you can get in touch in a couple of ways. Either call 1300 611 404 or email us at [email protected] and we'll do our utmost to reply without delay.
