Difference Between Aged Care and Disability Care Courses
Have a gift for nurturing people? Love caring for others? A career in disability or aged care may be an excellent path for you.
If you’re looking for ways to get started or move your way up the ladder, ageing support and disability courses are a great place to begin, and each course offers a rewarding experience for learners and their patients/clients.
Let’s take a closer look at the purpose and definitions of disability vs aged care courses, exploring their similarities, differences, and many benefits.
Aged Care Courses
Aged care courses are designed for passionate caregivers interested in beginning or upskilling their knowledge of geriatric or elderly caregiving. Coursework offers both experienced professionals and curious newcomers a chance to explore person-based care with strength-based practices.
With an ageing population, Australia is more in need of aged care than ever. Thousands of new learners will be needed to:
Provide care assistance
Act as a personal care aid
Become support workers
Advocate for social inclusion
Disability Care Courses
Disability care courses provide vocational care of the highest quality. The goal of each course is to serve clients and patients with people-centred training and service-based resources.
Persons with disabilities are some of the most vulnerable and underserved populations in our nation. A solid education from disability coursework empowers you to:
Work as a disability support worker
Function as a disability support officer
Encourage proper developmental skills
Provide personal care assistance
The Differences Between Disability Vs Aged Care Courses
Although disability and aged care courses focus on similar skills, they lead to different outcomes that affect your profession and career path.
For example, aged care courses focus on geriatric populations who may struggle with completing daily tasks. Coursework offers a foundation for supporting families and medical workers, safely moving and transporting clients and performing domestic duties on behalf of patients.
Qualifications that you can pursue include:
CHC33021 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing Support) – This qualification helps you build individualised plans for elderly support and care. Theory-based work is completed alongside hands-on tasks to develop a robust skill set for the elderly in our community.
CHC43015 Certificate IV in Ageing Support — This qualification focuses on specific tasks and services for elderly populations in nursing homes, residential environments and advanced care settings. You may be instructed on palliative approaches, wound dressing, care planning, and assistance with medication administration.
Disability care courses also approach clients with strength-based practices and person-centric care. However, more emphasis is placed on empowerment, behavioural support and skills development. You may be asked to learn a different form of first aid or follow an additional set of ethical principles.
These knowledge and skills can be attained from the following qualification:
Certificate IV in Disability — This course instructs learners on the advanced care of persons with disabilities. You will be presented with information on person-centred approaches, ethical practices and personalised plan management. The ultimate goal is to better serve vulnerable populations in our community.
As you can see, aged care and disability courses often overlap. You may care for older persons with disabilities or support persons with additional needs as they age.
There are many reasons to pursue both courses. Not only does it provide a better understanding of both Ageing Support and Disability Care, it ensures a holistic understanding and knowledge of both types of support.
Skills You Can Learn From Aged Care And Disability Courses
The goal of vocational coursework is twofold: to enhance your previous education and to provide new skills and knowledge.
As you upskill with aged care courses, you may learn many skills including:
Personal care — Individualised support, fall prevention, and infection prevention and control procedures
Client transportation — You will learn safe and efficient practices for lifting, sitting and monitoring client movements on the go.
Medication assistance — For advanced coursework, you will be instructed to assist with proper medication dosages, as well as helping clients stay on track and on time with their prescriptions.
Disability courses offer many similar skills, and you will also learn:
How to support positive behaviours — Celebrate with clients as they make positive emotional developments and strive toward skill improvements.
How to support community engagement — You will be an instrumental part of helping clients interact with new faces and making new connections
How to empower your clients — Help the people you care for be empowered and have dignified lives as their best selves.
Disability care and aged care courses encourage you to exercise critical thinking skills, meet emerging needs and explore a new career path with confidence. Remember: this coursework is an investment in others, but also yourself!
The Benefits Of Disability Vs Aged Care Courses
Regardless of the career path you choose, upskilling with an accredited course provides a number of benefits, including:
Better care — You owe it to yourself (and others) to provide gentle, knowledgeable support. Make sure you’re offering clients the best possible care.
Enhanced techniques — By learning how to follow safe work practices for direct client care, this will protect both you and the ones that you provide care for.
Stronger resumes — Care coursework helps you stand apart from other job applicants in your field. Easily compete with others and make better impressions on hiring directors and managers.
Aged care and disability care coursework are a benefit to yourself and others. As you begin your journey, don’t forget to seek accredited training that can help you complete your education with confidence — including the team at First Base Training.
Get Aged Care And Disability Courses From The Team At First Base Training
First Base Training is one of NSW’s leading provider in aged care, disability care and childcare qualifications. As a Registered Training Organisation (RTO), we offer nationally recoginised vocational education and training that caregivers will find ready at their stride.
Get in touch with First Base Training today to discuss the right coursework for your career path. We’d be happy to answer any questions that you might have about ageing support and disability care!