“My interest in aged care started when my father and aunt needed assistance to remain in their homes. I found I had experience caring for my own family and could transfer those skills into caring for other people’s family.”
This is Jenny, a Home Care Worker for Anglicare Southern Queensland’s Townsville Community Team.
“Working with the team at Anglicare, I find we all have a common goal to provide high quality services to seniors to help maintain their independence to live in their home with the highest level of dignity, respect and privacy.”
“I know it’s a great place to work, when I’m out in public with my uniform and I get compliments saying ‘Anglicare does a great job!’”
“I started out as a Support Services Worker and enjoyed it so much that I went on to complete my Cert 3 in aged care to become a Home Care Worker,” said Jenny.
A work day for Jenny usually begins with hygiene services, including providing medications and meal prep. Next, a social outing can involve weekly grocery shopping for clients and a trip to the bank to assist a client paying their bills. She might finish up the day with a visit to the client’s favourite coffee shop for a chat or a walk along the Strand beach front or in Queens garden.
“These outings with the clients, not only give our clients something to look forward to, it also gives their carers a much needed break for their own wellbeing,” said Jenny.
Jenny’s role as a Home Care Worker allows her to see the difference she makes in her clients’ lives.
“The role as a Home Care Worker is extremely rewarding. I get to be involved in changing clients’ lives and making their lives better than before we met. Some days that means taking them for a coffee and other days I get to be a part of making our clients’ dreams come true, like the time we organised for footy-loving clients to meet their hero, NRL star Johnathan Thurston,” said Jenny.
The care and support sector is one of the fastest growing in the country. There are lots of career opportunities for people looking for meaningful and flexible work that fits in with their lives.
All the roles as Home Care Workers and Support Services Workers are permanent part-time roles.
Find out more about career opportunities in Townsville:
Apply for a role as a Home Care Worker here.
Apply for a role as a Cleaner and Domestic Assistance here.