The Australian Carer

The Australian Carer, 3e provides a solid introduction to the role and responsibilities of personal care workers in contemporary aged care. Using a practical, easy to read approach, this resource covers all facets of the role, including: an introduction to working in aged care; actioning care routines; ensuring workplace health and safety; ensuring service quality; supporting special care needs

The Australian Carer: A Training Manual for Ageing Support, 5th Edition addresses the Certificate III in Individual Support: all core units contextualised to the aged care environment with an additional eight electives. The reader-friendly text is well regarded for its real-world case database, which provides students with examples of workplace experience that add context to their learning. A practical, down-to-earth training manual for personal care workers in the contemporary health and community services environment, it also supports skill development and knowledge for the competencies and qualifications associated with the training package for aged care.

The Experienced Carer – Frontline Leaders in Australia’s Aged Care Workplaces was written to accompany the Australian Carer, 2e and Caring in the Community. This resource covers all of the compulsory competencies, plus the most popular electives from the Certificate IV in Aged Care.

The Experienced Carer - Frontline Leaders in Australia's Aged Care Workplaces was written to accompany the Australian Carer, 2e and Caring in the Community. This resource covers all of the compulsory competencies, plus the most popular electives from the Certificate IV in Aged Care.

"I want this book to give hope and guidance, and offer some light in the midst of the madness.” The Australian Ageing Generation Handbook is the only of its kind in Australia and just in time. Recent studies show that Dementia will become Australia’s greatest killer in the coming years. With great improvements in the world of modern medicine, senior Australian’s are enjoying their quality of life for a much longer time. However this means the ageing population of Australia is also increasing and many children are struggling to cope with the responsibility of care for an older parent as well as their own children while maintaining a healthy work life balance. Josie lives this life right now, and has been caring for her mother who suffers from Dementia for several years. As Josie experienced, in the beginning, many children caring for older parents have no idea what to do, where to go for help, how to navigate not only the services on offer, but also the flood of emotions and challenges that face them. The Sandwich Generation as Josie calls it is the key market – the generation in between looking after elderly parents, and kids, and perhaps even grandkids. However, younger generations looking after elderly parents, or even grandparents, will benefit from this book also. Collaborating with aged care services and communities around Australia, Josie has fast become the go to guide for ageing care. A member of Alzheimer’s Australia, Josie has written The Australian Ageing Generation Handbook to provide Australians with a resourceful list of services for the family members caring for their elderly parents.

This report, (HCP 485-I, ISBN 9780215523488), from the Work and Pensions Committee, is entitled "Valuing and Supporting Carers". It examines the issues surrounding the role of carers in society and what the Government needs to do to support them. It is estimated that the public purse saves £87bn each year, from the unpaid support carers provide. Further, with the increase in population and better healthcare increasing life expectancy, there will be greater demand on such care and support. The Committee believes it is essential that carers of working age are able to sustain their ability to remain in work and are provided help in returning to work. In June 2008, the Government published its new 10 year vision for carers "Carers at the Heart of the 21st Century Families and Communities" (http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/publicationsandstatistics/publications/publicationspolicyandguidance/DH_085345?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=166685&Rendition=Web). The publication set out a number of commitments, including: the provision of information and advice; breaks provision for carers; improved support from the NHS; support to help carers better combine work and care. The Committee though expresses disappointment that the issue of benefits for carers was not directly addressed in the Carers Strategy and has only been identified as a long term priority from 2011 onwards. The Committee states that the current system of benefits for carers is outdated and recommends the introduction of two distinctive tiers of support for carers, offering: (i) income replacement support for carers unable to work, or working only part-time; (ii) compensation for additional costs of caring for all carers intensive caring roles. The financial pressures on carers arise from additional costs of caring and from reduced working hours, moving into lower paid work, or giving up work. One of the major reasons that carers struggle to remain in work is because of a lack of affordable, reliable and flexible care services. Carers often lose touch with the work environment and the Committee believes that where people have been caring for someone over a long period of time, they require a tailored support to re-enter employment, supported by advisers. The Committee believes that a joined up cross-governmental approach is required to ensure that carers are supported in the wider social care system. For Volume 2 of this report, oral and written evidence, see (ISBN 9780215523495).

Today, more than two million Australians are over 70 years of age; by the year 2050 seniors are likely to make up almost 30 percent of the population. The implications of this are not just political; they are very personal. At some stage in life, most of us will help an elderly friend, parent, partner, relative or spouse make important decisions about their health and wellbeing, housing, care, finances, legal affairs and end of life care. This book has been written for any Australian who loves and cares for an elderly parent or other person, anyone responsible for an elderly persons wellbeing, or who simply wants to prepare for their own future. It includes practical strategies for assessing older peoples needs; dealing with family dynamics; finding home help; preventing falls and other accidents; moving into an aged care home; managing financial and legal affairs; and getting the best possible medical and end-of-life care.

Senior frontline carers – both in HACC and residential settings – are central to making ageing a positive and largely self-managed experience. This training manual seeks to target the advanced care and frontline leadership skills of senior carers. In doing so it reflects the Community Services Training Package competencies for the Certificate IV level award for aged care work. The Experienced Carer 3e covers all of the compulsory core competencies, plus the most subscribed electives from the new CHC43015 Certificate IV in Ageing Support qualification.