CHCAGE013 Learner Guide

CHCAGE013
WORK EFFECTIVELY IN AGED

CARE
LEARNER GUIDE
RTO Number: 122208 CRICOS Number: 03373B Revision date: 27 Jun 2024
Next Review: 27 Jun 2025 Email: contact@jti.edu.au Revision: 1.0
© Job Training Institute Website: www.jti.edu.au Page 1 of 78
First published 2023
Version 1.0
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Contents
Topic 1: Your role in aged care ............................................................................................................... 5
Topic 2: Key concepts in aged care ...................................................................................................... 17
Topic 3: Organisational requirements ................................................................................................... 41
Topic 4: Working in an aged care context ............................................................................................. 61
Learning activities ................................................................................................................................. 75
Overview
Application of the unit
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to work effectively in an
aged care work context. The unit covers meeting job requirements, complying with organisational
requirements and working in an aged care sector context.
This unit applies to individuals who work with older people in a range of community services and
health contexts. Work performed requires some discretion and judgement and is carried out under
regular direct, indirect or remote supervision.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory
legislation, Australian standards and industry codes of practice.
No occupational licensing, certification or specific legislative requirements apply to this unit at the time
of publication.
Learning goals
Learning goals include:
• The student is able to meet job role requirements and practice self-care.
• The student is able to work within organisational requirements
• The student is able to work within an aged care context.
Topic 1: Your role in aged care
1.1. Introduction
This topic introduces you to the job roles and responsibilities of those working in the aged care sector.
• Identifying job role requirements and expectations.
• Being able to discuss and clarify job role requirements with supervisor.
• Referring work tasks.
• Understanding causes of stress and implementing self-care strategies.
• Being a part of the interdisciplinary team.
1.2. Job role requirements

Working in aged care involves providing support, care, and assistance to older people who may
require help with daily living activities. Aged care workers in Australia play a critical role in providing
high-quality care and support, and the work can be both rewarding and challenging. It is important for
aged care workers to have the necessary skills and qualities to provide compassionate and effective
care, as well as a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development.
Using the job description

When working in aged care, just like in any job, you need to understand your role and responsibilities.
These will vary depending on your position and the organisation in which you work, so familiarity with
your job description is very important.
Your job description will include details about your role, such as:
• the job title
• who the role reports to
• a summary of the role
• the department/area in which you work
• the responsibilities and duties of the role
• required and/or desirable qualifications and skills.

By reviewing this document you will understand the scope (the extent or reach) of your role.
Note that your job description may be updated over time if your role changes with new or less duties
and responsibilities. In these cases you will need to review and sign it to show that you have read and
understand how your role has changed. In some organisations you may have the opportunity to have
input into changes to your job description.
Type of roles in the aged care sector

There are a range of different job roles in the aged care sector. The table below shows the main jobs
in aged care and their responsibilities.
Job Responsibilities
Aged care support worker Provides assistance and support to older people who may
require help with daily tasks such as personal care, meal
preparation, and housekeeping. This could be at their
homes or in a residential aged care facility.
Lifestyle coordinator Plans and organises social and recreational activities for
residents of aged care facilities, with the aim of promoting
physical and mental wellbeing.
Nursing assistant Provides basic nursing care to clients and assists enrolled
and registered nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Enrolled nurse Provides nursing care under the supervision of a registered

nurse. They may administer medication, monitor client
conditions, and assist with medical procedures.
Registered nurse Provide a wide range of medical care, including assessing

and diagnosing health problems, administering medication,
and providing care and support to clients and their families.
They may also supervise and delegate tasks to other
healthcare professionals.
Table 1: Jobs and role descriptions in the aged care industry.
The table above shows very brief descriptions of each role. However, a job description will have a
very detailed explanation of what you need to do for you position. This is usually in the job
advertisement but will also be available from your organisation. You need to be familiar with this in
order to do your job correctly.
Here is an example of a description of job roles for an aged care support worker.
• Provide our residents with assistance as they accomplish daily tasks, including bathing,
eating, dressing, grooming and using the restroom.
• Maintain all care records in accordance with company policy and audit care records weekly
to ensure accuracy.
• Communicate any problems, concerns or issues to residents’ family members as needed.
• Ensure all clients take medications as directed by health care providers.
• Build rapport with residents by establishing personal connections and showing interest in
their lives.
• Respond to any safety or medical issues.
• Lead daily group and individual activities for entertainment.
Activity 1.1. Read
Read this article about different roles in aged care.

Duties and Responsibilities.
Article: https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/information/duties-and-responsibilities
Reflection: What role do you have or wish to have in aged care? What are the responsibilities in
this role?
Activity 1.2. Research
Refer to Table 1 and find advertisements for each of the different jobs. Read the job descriptions
carefully to understand what the job role requirements are for each one.
Think about the job role you wish to have in the aged care sector. Then, search for three job
advertisements online and
read the position descriptions carefully.
• Do you understand all the roles and responsibilities?
• Which ones would you have to ask your supervisor to clarify?
Image by Matthias Zomer on Pexels
Communicating with your supervisor about your role

When you start in a new position you should discuss your job role requirements with your supervisor.
This gives you an opportunity to clarify and confirm the activities you need to do and your supervisor’s
expectations regarding performance.
It is a good idea to write a list of questions based on your job description and questions about
anything else you would like to know. This means you won’t forget anything. You may find that some
of your questions are covered during this discussion.
It is important to maintain open communication with your supervisor throughout your time in the role.
Your supervisor will appreciate that you are taking initiative to ask questions and get feedback on
whether you are fully meeting the requirements of your role.
Before you start any new activity or use any equipment/aids that are be new to you, you should take a
moment to seek clarification on any concerns or questions you have.
Referring work to others

There is another reason why you need to understand all of the job tasks and responsibilities of your
job role – you may encounter a situation or be asked to do something that you are unable to do. This
could be because:
• you do not have the skills or knowledge to safely and correctly do the task
• the situation is beyond the scope of your job role
• it would be a breach of procedures to do it.

For example:
• you are asked to provide a care activity to a client that you have not been trained to do
• a family member asks you for advice about a specific healthcare need of the client, which you do
not have knowledge or the qualifications to advise on
• a colleague asks you to help them with a task that is not in your job description – they say it is
okay because they can show you how to do it properly
• a client asks you about a medical issue.

If you perform a task that is outside of your scope of responsibility and do not refer it to your
supervisor, it can potentially have negative consequences for both the client and yourself:
• The client could receive inappropriate care or support, or the care itself may be delivered in an
inappropriate way. This can put the client (and even yourself, depending on the task) at risk of
harm or it could negatively impact their health or wellbeing.
• You are at risk of harming yourself and your client, introducing new hazards into a safe
environment or even providing someone with incorrect information. You will be held responsible
and could receive a formal or informal warning. Depending on the severity of the consequences,
you may also be impacted by stress and anxiety.
Always communicate with the other person politely and respectfully, and explain that the request or
task is beyond your scope of responsibility, and you will need to talk to your supervisor.
Report the situation to your supervisor and always follow your organisation’s policies and procedures.
Information may also be provided in your job description, in employee handbooks and codes of
conduct about how to handle these situations.
The Aged Care Code of Conduct provides a set of standards of behaviour for those working in
the aged care sector, and includes details about what is expected of aged care workers.
Activity 1.3. Watch
Watch this video about working within your scope responsibility.

Scope of Practice - Are you working within yours?
Video: https://youtu.be/nfZoE6yIecI (10.14)
Reflection: based on what you have learned from this video, think about some other situations
where you could be asked to work beyond the scope of your role.
Delegation and supervision

Health care professionals, including registered nurses, may be able to train and delegate some key
tasks to an aged care worker, nurse assistant or enrolled nurse. This person can then provide clients
with direct support. This is known as delegation and supervision of care.
However, before delegating the task, an assessment should be undertaken of the client’s needs and a
plan developed that addresses:
• what tasks need to be provided
• the most appropriate person to provide the care (that is, the skills and knowledge of the person)
safely and correctly
• complexity of tasks
• resources available
• any risks.
The registered nurse or health professional is still responsible for the care of the client, and it is their
responsibility to decide whether it is appropriate for the task to be delegated. The process must be
documented
Supervision requirements will vary depending on the skills and knowledge of the person and the type
of task to be undertaken. The health professional or nurse must supervise the person at all times to
ensure safe and correct care is provided. Where issues are identified, they must intervene
immediately. The process must be documented.
1.3. Stress and self-care

While self-care may not be part of your job description, it is a very important component of being able
to be at your best when working with your clients. You cannot care for your clients if you are not
caring for yourself!
Working in aged care can be a rewarding and fulfilling. However, it does come with its challenges,
which can often cause workers to feel stressed and burnt out. Some experiences can also be
traumatic for the worker.
What causes stress for workers in aged care?

Aged care workers are exposed to a variety of stressors that can impact their wellbeing, for example:
• Heavy workloads: aged care workers are often responsible for providing care to multiple clients
with complex needs, which can result in high workloads and long hours.
• Emotional demands: aged care workers may become close with clients and their families, which
can be emotionally taxing. They may also have to deal with difficult or challenging behaviours
from clients, such as aggression or resistance to care.
• Physical demands: aged care workers may be required to perform physically demanding tasks,
such as lifting or transferring residents, which can lead to injuries and musculoskeletal disorders.
• Lack of support: aged care workers may feel isolated or unsupported in their work, particularly if
they are working in a high-stress environment with limited resources or support.
• Burnout: chronic stress can lead to burnout. This is a state complete exhaustion – physical,
mental and emotional. Morale may be reduced and workers may not enjoy the role any longer.
Burnout can lead to decreased job satisfaction and a higher risk of leaving the profession.
• Workplace culture: workplace culture can impact wellbeing. Negative workplace cultures, such as
bullying or harassment, can create toxic environments that exacerbate stress and reduce job
satisfaction.
• Conflict: this can occur between workers, between workers and clients, workers and family
members/carers. It can also occur outside of the job, as people can and do take the stressors of
their job home with them, which can have negative impacts on personal relationships.
Working with older people can often be an emotional experience. For example, you might be caring
for a client who is receiving palliative care or living with dementia. The things you see and have to do
in these roles can feel overwhelming.
Effects of stress
Stress affects you not only emotionally and psychologically, but also physically. If left untreated,
stress can cause significant health issues. Some of the common effects of stress include the
following:
• Physical effects: stress can lead to a range of physical symptoms, such as headaches, muscle
tension, fatigue, digestive problems and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Mental and emotional effects: stress can impact a person's mental and emotional wellbeing,
leading to symptoms such as anxiety, depression, irritability and difficulty concentrating or
making decisions.
• Behavioural effects: stress can impact a person's behaviour, leading to changes such as
increased alcohol or drug use, overeating, decreased physical activity, withdrawal from friends
and family, and decreased quality of relationships.
• Occupational effects: stress can impact a person's performance and productivity at work, leading
to absenteeism, loss of productivity and increased risk of workplace accidents or errors.
• Social effects: stress can also impact a person's social life, leading to social withdrawal, conflict
with others, and decreased quality of relationships.
Chronic stress, long-term stress can have significant effects on a person's health and wellbeing. This
can include an increasing risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.
It can also lead to a decreased quality of life and reduced life expectancy
It is therefore essential to identify and manage stress effectively.
Recognising signs of stress is crucial. We all suffer from stress differently, so you need to increase
your awareness of how you are feeling – emotionally, physically and mentally.
Activity 1.4. Read
Read these articles about stress in aged care workers.
• Stress Busters: Top Tips for Aged Care Staff to Deal with Job Stress.
Article: https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/contributors/opinion/stress-busters-top-
tips-for-aged-care-staff-to-deal-with-job-stress/
• Why Are Aged Care Staff So Stressed – and What Can Be Done About it?
Article: https://hellocare.com.au/aged-care-staff-stressed-can-done/
Reflection: Think about your own life. Generally, how stressed do you feel on a daily basis? How
does this effect you mentally or physically? What strategies could you use to reduce or avoid this
stress?
If you are suffering from any issues at work, mentally or physically, you should seek support from you
supervisor or manager. Your organisation will have procedures in place to support workers, and this
could include you engaging with an employee assistance program or similar.
1.4. An interdisciplinary team
‘Interdisciplinary’: relating to more than one subject/area of knowledge.
In aged care you will be working as part of an interdisciplinary team as it will include people from
different sections of the aged care and healthcare industries. For example:
• general practitioners (GPs)
• nurses
• allied health professionals, such as dietitians, physiotherapists, podiatrists, occupational

therapists and so on
• support workers
• specialists, such as geriatricians.

The interdisciplinary team works together and takes each other’s skills and expertise to reach a
common goal – the care, health and wellbeing of the client.
Image by Fresh Connection on Unsplash
Here are some key aspects of working as an interdisciplinary team:
• Understand the roles and expertise of different team members. This helps in understanding who
to approach for specific issues or information.
• Practice effective and clear communication. This means being able to explain your observations
and concerns in a way that others can easily understand. It also means listening carefully to
others. Be transparent, open and honest in communications, and share necessary information,
including both successes and challenges.
• Respect and value diversity. Team members come from various backgrounds and have different
approaches. Respecting these differences and seeing them as a strength can improve
teamwork.
• Participate in regular team meetings and updates so everyone is on the same page. It’s a good
time to share information and coordinate efforts. Make decisions as a team by discussing
options, listening to different viewpoints and reaching a consensus. Work together to solve
complex issues and be open to different perspectives and solutions.
• Be open to learning from other team members. This can improve your own skills and
understanding of different aspects of your work. Give and receive constructive feedback.
Reflecting on your own performance and how you interact with the team can lead to
improvements.
• Respect and value the contributions and expertise of each team member, regardless of their role.
It's important to listen to others, acknowledge their perspectives and treat everyone with dignity.
• Have clear plans and methods for how the team will work together and achieve its goals. It's
important that these strategies are well-understood and agreed upon by all team members.
• Maintain the privacy of any sensitive information shared within the team, especially concerning
clients or patients.
Remember, the goal of working in an interdisciplinary team is to combine different skills and
perspectives to provide the best outcome, whether it's for a patient, a client or a project.
Activity 1.5. Read
Read this information about the interdisciplinary approach.

An Interdisciplinary Approach to Caring.
Article: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/patient-care/an-interdisciplinary-approach-to-caring
Takes notes about what you have learned.
Activity 1.6. Read
Read this information for more details on the range of professionals that can make up an
interdisciplinary team.
Who’s Who in Aged Care.
Article: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/servicesandsupport/whos-who-in-aged-care
Quiz time!
Congratulations! You have reached the end of Topic 1.
To review what you’ve learnt, answer the following questions before continuing to Topic 2.
• Ask someone else in the workplace

1. How can you work out your job
role responsibilities? • Talk to your supervisor
Select all appropriate options • Check your position description
Go to 1.2 for help answering. • Go online and look at other job ads similar to
your own
• To make sure you are working within the

2. Why should you talk to your scope of your role
supervisor about your job role
and responsibilities? • Your colleagues told you that you have to
Select all appropriate options • Because you don’t have a position

description
Go to 1.2 for help answering.
• To clarify things you aren’t sure about
3. If someone asks you to do

something and it’s not part of • Yes, it will help that person a lot
your job role, should you do it?
• No, you may not have the skills or knowledge
Select all appropriate options to do it
• Talk about your supervisor to your clients

4. What does it mean to refer to • Talk to your supervisor about requests or
your supervisor? situations outside the scope of your role
Go to 1.2 for help answering. • Tell everyone who asks you to do something
to go to your supervisor
• Difficulty in coping with the demands of their

job
5. Which of the following can
• Not receiving enough information and
cause stress for support
support
workers?
• Support from supervisors
Select all appropriate options
• Conflict with colleagues
• Emotional strain from caring for unwell
clients
6. Why is self-care so important • You can’t care for others effectively if you
when working in an aged care can’t care for yourself
role?
• Because you are asked to do it by your
Select all appropriate options supervisor
Go to 1.3 for help answering. • You will learn more about your job
• You will be able to handle the effects of

stress better
• Making them feel distressed sometimes

7. Stress may impact a person’s • Causing them to have difficulties with
behaviour by? relationships
Select all appropriate options • Using drugs and alcohol
Go to 1.3 for help answering. • Making them become hyper focused on their
job
• A team that disciplines others
8. An interdisciplinary team • A team of clients who work together to come

means… up with ways they can be best supported
Go to 1.4 for help answering • A team of professionals with different

knowledge and expertise who focus on the
wellbeing and needs of the client
How did you go? Check your answers:
1. Correct answers are:
• Talk to your supervisor
• Check your position description

• To make sure you are working within the scope of your role
• To clarify things you aren’t sure about

3. No, you may not have the skills or knowledge to do it
4. Talk to your supervisor about requests or situations outside the scope of your role
5. All answers are correct.
• You can’t care for others effectively if you can’t care for yourself
• You will be able to handle the effects of stress better

• Making them feel distressed sometimes
• Causing them to have difficulties with relationships
• Using drugs and alcohol

8. A team of professionals with different knowledge and expertise who focus on the wellbeing
and needs of the client.
Topic 2: Key concepts in aged care
2.1. Introduction
This topic introduces you to the key concepts in aged care.
• Understanding the key issues impacting the sector.
• Understanding the key philosophies and concepts relevant to the sector.
• Identifying the attitudes and stereotypes associated with older people.
• Understanding the importance of cultural diversity and cultural competence to roles int eh sector.
2.2. Key issues in aged care

The contemporary view of aged care in Australia is that it is a crucial and growing sector that requires
significant attention and investment to ensure that older Australians receive high-quality care and
support that meets their needs and preferences.
Aged care in Australia has been the subject of significant scrutiny and criticism in recent years,
particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality
and Safety. The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety was established in October
2018 to inquire into the quality and safety of aged care in Australia.
After the Royal Commission a Final Report was released that outlined the recommendations to reform
Australia’s healthcare system, focusing on improving the provision of care, dignity and respect for
older Australians. This report was released in March 2021 and made 148 recommendations for
improving the aged care system.
The key areas as recommended by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety are:
• Increased funding: the commission recommended increased funding for aged care services to
ensure that residents receive the care and support they need.
• Better staffing: the commission recommended that aged care providers should be required to
have minimum staffing levels, appropriate skills mix, and adequate training to ensure that
residents receive safe and high-quality care.
• Improved regulation: the commission recommended that the aged care sector should be subject
to stronger and more effective regulation to ensure that providers are held accountable for
delivering high-quality care.
• Person-centred care: the commission recommended that the aged care system should shift
towards a person-centred care approach, where the care and support provided is tailored to
meet the individual needs and preferences of residents.
• Better access to health care: the commission recommended that aged care residents should
have better access to health care services, including mental health care, dental care, and allied
health services.
• Dementia care: the commission recommended that the aged care system should improve its
approach to dementia care, including providing more specialised training and support for staff
working with people with dementia.
• Technology and innovation: the commission recommended that the aged care system should
embrace technology and innovation to improve the quality of care and support provided to
residents.
Image by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels
Activity 2.1. Read
You can read about the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety here:
Article: https://www.royalcommission.gov.au/aged-care
You can also view the reports at this link.
Article: https://www.irt.org.au/the-good-life/ways-to-empower-older-adults/
Activity 2.2. Watch
Watch the following videos on innovative ideas for contemporary aged care living.
• The Innovation in Aged Care That Could See Nursing Homes Become a Thing of the Past.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m23OLyU2HHw (07:25)
• Aged Care of the Future.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zO1MyfrAEoQ (6:59)
Reflect: What are the benefits of these styles of aged care compared with more traditional
facilities?
2.3. Key philosophies and concepts

The person-centred approach
The concept of person-centred care involves seeing the client as an individual with unique qualities,
abilities, interests, preferences and needs. The client should be supported in identifying their care
needs and determining the path they want to take to maintain the best quality of life possible and live
as independently as they possibly can.
The principles of person-centred care include:
• Respect: this involves valuing and respecting each client’s unique qualities, beliefs, preferences,
and experiences.
• Empowerment: this involves supporting clients to make informed choices and participate actively
in their own care and support.
• Collaboration: this involves working collaboratively with clients, their families and their
communities to design and deliver care and support that meets their needs and preferences.
• Flexibility: this involves being flexible and responsive to each client’s changing needs and
preferences over time.
• Continuous learning: this involves ongoing learning and reflection to improve the quality of care
and support provided to clients.
Activity 2.3. Watch
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission produced this short video about person-centred
care, and what clients should expect when engaging with a provider.
What is Person-Centred Care?
Video: https://youtu.be/9icUIM-vM3k (2:02)
Reflect: What are the benefits of person-centred care for clients?
Activity 2.4. Read
Read this article on empowering older people.

6 Ways to Empower Older Adults.
Article: https://www.irt.org.au/the-good-life/ways-to-empower-older-adults/
Did you notice the following key points?
• Reframe ageing: avoid ageism and stereotypes.
• Include, include, include: allow older people to make choices and feel in control.
• Find easier ways to do things: instead of stopping activities they usually do and enjoy,
modify them make them easier.
• Choose empowering words: be inclusive and be respectful of their age and do not treat
them like a child.
• Connection is key: stay socially connect to keep a sense of wellbeing.
• Explore options for aged care services: use an in-home service or aged care facility if
they need additional support services.
The difference between ‘care’ and ‘support’

Although the terms ‘care’ and ‘support’ are often used interchangeably, there is actually a difference
between the two terms when it comes to the community services context.
• Care involves helping someone with their daily activities of living and helping them meet their
needs so they can live comfortably. For example, this may include personal care, eating and
drinking, or mobility. A carer could be paid or unpaid in their role – it could be a family member, a
paid carer or a volunteer.
• Support goes a step further as it focuses on helping the person to retain their independence as
much as possible. They may require aids, equipment and technology to maintain their
independence. Support involves assisting the person to make choices, helping them further
develop their existing skills and abilities, and even learn new ones.
Social Role Valorisation

Social Role Valorisation (also known as SRV) is a set of ideas and principles that seek to make
positive changes in the lives of people who are marginalised or devalued in society, including people
with disabilities and older adults.
SRV is based on the idea that the more roles a person has in society and the more valued those roles
are, the more likely they are to be valued as a person and achieve more from life.
Those who are devalued or excluded from society are often relegated to low-status roles and
positions, which can in turn lead to further social devaluation and exclusion.
SRV aims to enhance the social roles and status of marginalised people by providing them with
opportunities to participate in valued social roles and activities that are recognised and respected by
society.
Some of the key principles of SRV include the following:
• Valued social roles: SRV emphasises the importance of providing people with opportunities to
participate in valued social roles (for example, parent, friend, employee, volunteer and
community member).
• Normalisation: SRV encourages the normalisation via the provision of opportunities to participate
in typical life activities and experiences.
• Social integration: SRV emphasises the importance of social integration and inclusion, including
opportunities to participate in society and engage in relationships with non-aged peers.
• Social comparison: SRV encourages the use of positive social comparison to enhance status
and self-esteem, such as highlighting the person’s strengths and abilities.
Segregation and congregation

Let’s quicky define segregation and congregation:
• Segregation: separating something or someone from another.
• Congregation: a large group of people coming together.

Segregation of older people refers to the physical separation of older people from their own
communities and even from each other. This may occur due to a number of factors.
• Intentional segregation – the older person has made a choice to remain separate from the
community. This will also include their family. They may have a very limited friendship group.
There are many reasons why a person could choose this option – physical and/or mental health
or disability, lifestyle preference and so on.
• Reliance on their partner – the older person has relied on their partner for support and social
interaction as they aged, but the subsequent loss of their partner means that they find
themselves alone without support. Loss does not always mean death, it can include the partner
moving into a residential care facility or the partner leaving the relationship.
• Lack of transportation – the older person becomes isolated from others due to not being able to
drive or afford public transport.
• Separation due to physical health, mental health or disability. An example of this would be clients
with dementia. In some residential care facilities clients with dementia may be separated from the
other residents either in a different wing of the facility or a different floor.
Congregation of older people refers to the bringing together of older people. Residential care facilities
could be considered congregate living conditions – older people reside under the same roof or closely
within a ‘village’ of homes. Segregation can still occur in these living conditions, as per the example
above of clients with dementia living under the same roof as other aged care clients, yet not
interacting with them due to being in an area in which they remain unless otherwise travelling through
the facility (for example, to leave the facility, to go outdoors – where they could even be segregated
from others).
There are risks to both segregation and congregation.
Segregation
Social isolation The older person has limited opportunities to interact with those
outside their age group.
Enforcement of common Examples of common stereotypes of older people include:

negative stereotypes
• they don’t want to mix with younger people
• they don’t want to participate in the community
• they have nothing further to contribute in their old age.
Increase in generation gaps Segregating older people from younger people means that
intergenerational connections are lessened; these groups have
less opportunity to interact and learn from each other.
Less access to resources Segregation may mean that some older people have difficulty
accessing transportation, care and community services; this can
lead to poor physical and mental health outcomes.
Congregation
Increased risk of the spread This was shown during the early stages of the COVID-19
of illness pandemic. The virus spread rapidly through residential aged care
facilities. Other infectious diseases that are dangerous for older
people, such as influenza and gastroenteritis, can also spread
rapidly in such close living quarters.
Increased risk of abuse An older person living in these conditions could be at risk of abuse
from other residents, caregivers and staff.
Lack of diversity Some congregated living conditions involve people from one
cultural background living together. This is often called ‘culturally-
specific residential care’. This means that older people will be
limited in their exposure to different cultures, perspectives and
experiences.
Table 2: Risks of segregating and congregating.
Ways to overcome these risks include making sure clients are remain active in their community and
can enjoy activities where they can interact socially. This could mean being part of a group or
spending more time with loved ones and family. Alternatively, where clients were already segregated
before coming into care, assessments should consider the need to improve their social interactions
and activities.
Activity 2.5. Read
Read this article, which provides an example of how the segregation model has been
challenged.
New Victorian Care Facility Challenges Standard Models of Segregation and Institutionalisation.
Article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-07/yackandandah-health-facility-opening-in-
victoria/10473592
Restrictive practices
A restrictive practice is any type of support or practice that limits a person with disability and their
freedom of movement or their rights, for example when a person with disability is being left in a room
and unable to leave, over-medicated or intimidated to make them do something. This can be very
distressing for the client and would only ever be used as a last resort. A positive behaviour support
plan has skills and strategies which help to reduce the use of regulated restrictive practice.
There are five restrictive practices:
• Chemical restraint: use of medication or chemical substance to alter a client’s behaviour.

Chemical restraint does not refer to medication that has been prescribed by the client’s medical
practitioner/s for their specific conditions.
• Mechanical restraint: use of equipment/devices to restrict or subdue a client’s movement or to

prevent them from being able to move (not equipment/aids that are used to support their mobility,
health outcomes etc).
• Physical restraint: using physical force to restrict or subdue the movement of a client or to
prevent their movement.
• Environmental restraint: restricting a client from accessing the environment around them, such as
locking them in a room, barricading doorways or areas, etc. Environmental restraint also includes
stopping the client from accessing activities or items that they would otherwise use as part of
activities of daily living, enjoyment/recreation and so on. This practice is used to manage
behaviours of concern or risks.
• Seclusion: confining a client (alone) in a location where they are not able to freely exit. Seclusion
can occur during the day or night.
Inappropriate use of restrictive practices is very serious and should only be used as a last resort. An
approved practitioner must assess the client and discuss strategies, which must be documented and
recorded in the client’s individualised plan. Any restrictive practises must follow legislative and
regulatory requirements and organisational policies and procedures.
Activity 2.6. Watch
Watch the video on restrictive practice in aged care.

What are Restrictive Practices?
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etqRy42qW7A (02:05)
Activity 2.7. Read
Read this factsheet about restrictive practice from the Aged Care Quality and Safety
Commission.
Overview of Restrictive Practices.
Factsheet: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/overview-of-restrictive-
practices_0.pdf
Activity 2.8. Read
You should always follow legislative and regulatory requirements and organisational policies and
procedures.
Read this article from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission that discusses the new
consent arrangements for restrictive practices.
Minimising the Use of Restrictive Practices.
Article: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/minimising-restrictive-practices
Psychosocial disabilities
‘Psychosocial disability is the term used to describe disabilities that may arise from mental health
issues. Whilst not everyone who has a mental health issue will experience psychosocial disability,
those that do can experience severe effects and social disadvantage’
(https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/disability/Pages/NDIS-and-mental-health.aspx) .
Psychosocial disability and mental health are related concepts, but they refer to different aspects of
mental health:
• Mental health refers to a person's overall emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing.
• Psychosocial disability refers to the functional impairment that can result from a mental health
issue.
Examples of mental health issues that can lead to psychosocial disability include:
• depression
• anxiety disorders
• bipolar disorder
• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• schizophrenia
• borderline personality disorder.

The impact of psychosocial disability can be significant. While not everyone with psychosocial
disability will be impacted the same, we have listed some of the more common ways in which
psychosocial disability can affect a person:
• Poor stress management
• Poor time management.
• Inability to cope in certain environments

• Challenges with social inclusion
• Inability to multitask
• Difficulty maintaining physical health
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty communicating, including when interpreting constructive feedback.
The episodic nature of psychosocial disability

In terms of mental health, ‘episodic’ refers to the way in which symptoms appear for short periods
(episodes). The severity and regularity of symptoms will also generally vary. The person may be well
for quite some time before briefly experiencing the symptoms of their illness.
A person with psychosocial disability may need to obtain support from the following sources:
• mental health professionals (for example, a psychologist or psychiatrist)
• health care professionals
• mental health occupational therapists
• disability support services.

A person with psychosocial disability may need support with the following:
• transportation
• social inclusion
• modifications to their environment
• assistance with daily life
• relationships
• assistive technology.
Interaction with other disabilities

• Physical disability: people with physical disabilities may experience psychosocial disability due to
challenges with social and community inclusion, employment and the emotional impact of their
physical condition.
• Intellectual disability: people with intellectual disabilities may be at increased risk for developing
mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression, due to the challenges they face with
social interaction and communication.
• Neurodevelopmental disability: neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum

disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), can co-occur with mental health
conditions that may result in psychosocial disability. People with neurodevelopmental disabilities
may experience difficulties in social interaction and communication, which can impact their
mental health.
• Sensory disability: people with sensory disabilities, such as hearing or vision loss, may
experience isolation and difficulty in social situations, which may impact their mental health.
Support
A person living with a psychosocial disability needs to receive the correct support. When they have
been diagnosed, they can have psychological therapy and they may also need to take medication to
reduce symptoms.
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is an Australian Government scheme which helps
support people living with a disability. In order to receive support from the NDIS the person must:
• have a disability that is likely to be permanent (including psychosocial disability)
• have a substantially reduced capacity to take part in the activities of daily living and effectively
participate in society
• be likely to require support from the NDIS over their lifetime.
Activity 2.9. Read
Read this article about caring for someone with a psychosocial disability.
Caring for a Person with Psychosocial Disability.
Article: https://www.disabilitysupportguide.com.au/information/article/caring-for-a-person-with-
psychosocial-disability
Activity 2.10. Read
Read this website for more information about how the NDIS supports people living with
psychosocial disabilities.
Mental Health and the NDIS.
Website: https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/how-ndis-works/mental-health-and-ndis#what-
is-psychosocial-disability
2.4. Attitudes and stereotypes
Quality of life
Quality of life refers to how well a person is living and how good they feel about their life. It includes
many things like health, comfort, happiness and the ability to do things they enjoy or find important.
It's not just about having money or being healthy, but also about feeling satisfied, safe and connected
to others. Good quality of life means a person feels that their life is going well, they have what they
need, and they can enjoy their daily activities. It's different for everyone, as what makes one person's
life good might be different for another person.
After the recommendations from the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and
Safety, the Department of Health and Aged Care started a program to measure the quality of life and
quality of care experience.
This program is called the Quality of life – Aged Care Consumers (QOL-ACC) and the Quality of Care
Experience – Aged Care Consumers (QCE-ACC).
Quality of life in aged care is measured relating to different aspects, or dimensions, of the person’s
life. These include:
• mobility
• pain management
• emotional wellbeing
• independence
• social relationships
• activities.
This is an important part in ensuring that clients receive aged care which maintains a good quality of
life. The QOL-ACC is completed by the individual as much as possible, so it gives a better indication
of how they perceive their own life and happiness.
Activity 2.11. Read
Read this website and watch the videos for more information about quality of life in aged care
and how it is measured.
Quality of life – Aged Care Consumers (QOL-ACC) and the Quality of Care Experience – Aged
Care Consumers (QCE-ACC).
Website: https://www.qol-acc.org/
Attitudes and stereotypes

Attitudes refer to a person’s general evaluation or feelings toward a specific person, group, idea or
situation. Attitudes can be positive or negative, and they can influence a person's behaviour and
decisions.
Stereotypes are oversimplified and widely held beliefs about a particular group of people. These are
generally based on assumptions about their characteristics, traits, behaviours and abilities.
Stereotypes are often inaccurate, harmful and can lead to discrimination and prejudice against certain
groups.
Attitudes and stereotypes can greatly affect the quality of life of older people. When society holds
negative stereotypes about aging, like believing older people are less capable or always in poor
health, it can lead to older adults being treated unfairly or disrespectfully. This can make them feel
undervalued, isolated and even lead to depression or anxiety. Negative attitudes can also stop older
people from accessing services, participating in community activities or trying new things, which limits
their experiences and enjoyment of life.
On the other hand, positive attitudes towards aging can have a good impact. When older adults are
seen as experienced, wise and valuable members of society, they tend to feel more respected and
included. This boosts their self-esteem, encourages them to stay active and engaged and leads to a
better overall quality of life. They're more likely to be involved in social activities, maintain their
independence, and have a more positive outlook on life.
Let’s now have a look at some of the common attitudes and stereotypes that are relevant to the aged
care context.
Paternalism
Paternalism is when the freedom or autonomy of a person is limited in order to prevent harm – every
day examples include requiring people to wear seat belts, not allowing smoking indoors or banning
certain drugs.
In aged care, paternalism occurs when workers and caregivers believe they know what is best for the
older person, are overprotective and make the decisions for the person. This removes the client’s
autonomy to make their own decisions about their care and the way they want to live their life.
This goes against the person-centred approach and the dignity of risk which are essential principles of
aged care work.
Ageism
Ageism is discrimination and stigma that is based on age.
Stigma is when one person views another in a negative or unfair way because of specific
characteristics. In the case of older people, the stigma is of course attached to their age. (It is
important to note that ageism does not only occur with older people, but can be experienced by
younger people as they may be perceived negatively due to their age and the lack of experience it
brings.)
Ageism could be:
• institutional, which happens when an institution, such as a government, demonstrates ageism

ageist through its actions and policies – where society is structured in a way that fails to
appropriately respond to the needs of older people
• interpersonal ageism, which occurs in social interactions – older people are stereotyped or
discriminated against by those around them
• internalised ageism, which is when a person believes ageist beliefs and applies those beliefs to
themself.
Ageism can lead to some common misconceptions about older people. For example:
• older people are not interested in doing anything productive
• older people do not want or need close relationships
• older people contribute little to society
• older people are more set in their ways
• older people are depressed and miserable

• older people should retire from work as soon as they get to retirement age
• older people do not want to engage with the community.
Activity 2.12. Read
Read more about ageing misconceptions here.

Ageing Myths.
Website: https://www.qld.gov.au/seniors/retirement/ageing-myths
Again, the person-centred approach is the best way to dispel these misconceptions. It focuses on the
client and their needs, abilities, interests, likes and dislikes. It does not make assumptions based on
age.
Ageism can have a very a negative impact on a person’s physical and mental health, their feeling of
worth and value and their sense of wellbeing.
Value judgements
A value judgment is like giving your opinion about whether something is good or bad, right or wrong.
It's about deciding what you think is important or valuable.
An example of a value judgment about old people could be saying 'Old people are the wisest.' This is
a value judgment because it's an opinion that values wisdom and considers older people as the best
source of it. It's not just a fact, but a belief that being older usually means being wiser.
A negative example of a value judgment about older people could be saying, 'Old people can't learn
new things.' This is a value judgment because it's an opinion that negatively judges older people's
ability to learn. It's not a fact, but rather a belief that assumes older people are less capable of
learning, which isn't necessarily true.
Workers, carers and family members should avoid making value judgements and giving their own
personal opinion about how happy a person or how good their quality of life is. This does not provide
accurate information about a client and could lead to decisions being made which do not benefit them.
Value judgments can be harmful because they are often based on personal biases and beliefs instead
of facts or evidence. In aged care, this can lead to discriminatory attitudes and behaviours towards
older adults, which can have negative consequences for their health and wellbeing.
Let’s look at some examples of how value judgements can negatively impact a person in aged care.
• The value judgement or belief that older adults are not capable of making decisions for
themselves can lead to caregivers making decisions for older adults without consulting them or
taking their wishes and preferences into account. This approach is disrespectful and does not
uphold their dignity. It could also lead to poor quality of care, which may negatively impact their
health and wellbeing.
• The value judgment or belief that older adults are a burden on society. This could lead to a
number of issues. For example, caregivers providing minimal care or neglecting their duties
because they believe that older adults are not worth the effort or time. It could also result in
policies that limit funding or resources for aged care because of the belief that the money would
be better spent on other areas.
Following a person-centred approach by discussing the client’s preferences and needs and keeping
them involved in decision making helps to avoid this as caregivers can provide respectful,
individualised care that supports the health and wellbeing of older adults.
Image by Kampus Production on Pexels
2.5. Cultural diversity

Australia is a diverse country. It's home to people from many different cultures, backgrounds and
countries. This diversity is seen in the many languages spoken, the variety of foods from different
cuisines, and the celebrations of different cultural festivals and events. Australia's indigenous
communities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, add to this diversity with their unique
cultures and histories.
Over the years, people from all over the world, like Europe, Asia and Africa, have moved to Australia,
making it a melting pot of cultures and traditions. This mix of people from different places makes
Australia a very diverse and multicultural country.
Australian Bureau of Statistics

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is a government agency in Australia. Its main job is to
collect and provide data about different aspects of the country, like how many people live there, how
the economy is doing and how healthy people are. This information helps the government and others
make informed decisions. The Australian Bureau of Statistics carries out a census every five years. A
census is a detailed count and survey of every person and household in a country. It collects
information like how many people live in a place, their ages, jobs, how they live and other important
details. This helps the government and others understand the population and its needs better.
Data from the 2021 Census provided the following information.
Total population of Australia:
• 25,978,935
Proportion of Australia’s population born overseas:
• 27.6%
Country of birth:
Of Australia’s population born overseas:
• 967,390 were born in England
• 710,380 were born in India
• 595,630 were born in China (excludes SARs and Taiwan)
• 559,980 were born in New Zealand
• 310,620 were born in the Philippines
• 268,170 were born in Vietnam
• 201,930 were born in South Africa
• 172,250 were born in Malaysia
• 171,520 were born in Italy
• 145,790 were born in Sri Lanka
Top 5 languages used at home other than English:
• Mandarin: 2.7%
• Arabic: 1.4%
• Vietnamese: 1.3
• Cantonese: 1.2%
• Punjabi: 0.9%
Top 5 ancestries:
• English: 33%
• Australian: 29.9%
• Irish: 9.5%
• Scottish: 8.6%
• Chinese: 5.5%
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
• 3.2% of the total population
Religious affiliation
• No religion: 38.9%
• Christianity: 43.9%
• Islam: 3.2%
• Hinduism: 2.7%
• Buddhism: 2.4%
Age by generation
• Gen Alpha (0–9 years): 12.0%
• Gen Z (10–24 years): 18.2%
• Millennials (25–39 years): 21.5%
• Gen X (40–54 years): 19.3%
• Baby Boomers (55–74 years): 21.5%
• Interwar (75+ years): 7.5%
Sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics:

Cultural Diversity: Census https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/cultural-diversity-census/latest-
release
Australia's Population by Country of Birth: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/australias-population-country-
birth/latest-release#key-statistics
Snapshot of Australia: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/snapshot-australia/latest-release
Activity 2.13. Research
The figures provided above are from the 2021 census. You can access up-to-date cultural
diversity statistics on the Australian Bureau of Statistics website and searching for the cultural
diversity census.
What is culture?
Culture is a concept that refers to the shared values, beliefs, customs, practices and behaviours that
characterise a group or community. Culture comprises language, religion, social norms, art, music,
food and technology. Culture is passed across generations through socialisation and learning.
Culture shapes our identity and influences the way we perceive and interact with the world. Culture
also provides a sense of belonging and community.
Concepts and definitions of diversity

Diversity is more than just ‘culture’, it is about how each person identifies in relation to their:
• age
• race
• ethnicity
• cultural background
• sexual orientation
• gender
• gender identity
• intersex status
• socio-economic background
• disability status
• religious affiliation
• spiritual beliefs.
Not everyone will identify as part of each of the above categories. For example, as you will have seen
in the Census data, not everyone practices a religion. Some people feel very strongly about their
identity, their beliefs and the way in which they live their lives. As a worker in the community services
sector, part of your job is to provide care that is non-judgmental, respectful and sensitive. Those you
care for must feel welcome, appreciated and understood.
You aren’t expected to know every little thing about the differences in our society, but you will be
expected to learn so that you can provide person-centred care to those you work with.
Don’t forget that this also applies to your colleagues!
Cultural competence
A client’s culture can have a major impact on their decisions for care and support.
Developing and practicing cultural competence is essential when you are working in aged care.
Cultural competence means being aware of your own cultural beliefs, values and biases and how they
could be different from others. It also means being willing to learn about and engage with people from
different cultures.
A lack of cultural competence can lead to misunderstandings, miscommunications and mistrust, which
can negatively impact outcomes and relationships.
It is important to develop your cultural competence, as you will interact with many clients from
different backgrounds.
So, what can you do?
• Talk to people! Getting to know a person and learning about them is just one way of becoming
more culturally aware.
• When you want to ask questions think about the best way you can ask them – don’t be rude,
don’t diminish the person or their beliefs or customs. Make it a positive experience, and make it
about the person. You want to know about them, why they practice or do what they do, and how
it makes them feel. Ask about the stories of their culture and where they have come from.
• Check yourself! Reflect on your interactions with others – what did you do well, what could you
have done better, what did you learn?
• Observe others. Watch how people communicate, both verbally and non-verbally. We don’t all do
the same things, and some things you do may in fact be quite offensive to others.
• Do not take offence if someone asks you to talk about yourself and your own beliefs, customs
and culture. The more we share the more tolerant and understanding we are!
• Seek support from your colleagues or supervisor. They can provide you with advice and
strategies to communicate with interact with others.
• Carefully read the individualised plans of the people you are caring for. They will include
information about their preference and needs. This can provide you with a gateway to
conversation.
• Learn by doing research.
• Pass it on – if you see someone acting in a disrespectful manner, call it out or talk to your
supervisor. They may not even be aware they are doing it.
Activity 2.14. Watch
Watch these videos about diversity and inclusion.

Diversity and Inclusion.
Videos: https://www.uniting.org/uniting-careers/diversity-and-inclusion
2.6. Key organisations, agencies and services

In Australia, there are several organisations, agencies, and services dedicated to the aged care
sector. These groups focus on providing care and support for older people. They offer a range of
services like helping with daily tasks, medical care and support for living independently. They also
ensure that the rights and well-being of older Australians are protected. These services are important
for helping older people live comfortably and with dignity.
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in Australia is an organisation that makes sure aged
care services are of good quality and safe for older people. It checks on aged care providers to
ensure they meet standards and handles complaints about aged care.
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission ‘protect and improve the safety, health, wellbeing and
quality of life for people receiving aged care services’.
Activity 2.15. Read
Read more about the Commission here.

Website: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/about-us
My Aged Care
My Aged Care is a government-run service which provides information and support to help people
understand, access and navigate the aged care system. You can access My Aged Care online, on the
phone or in person. It has support and information for older people looking for aged care services,
carers or family members and healthcare professionals.
My Aged Care provides:
• information on the different types of aged care services available
• an assessment of needs to identify eligibility and the right type of care
• referrals and support to find service providers that can meet your needs
• information on what you might need to pay towards the cost of your care.
Activity 2.16. Read
Read this website for more information on My Aged Care.

Look at the different information and support that provides for:
• older people in need of healthcare services
• carers and family members
• healthcare professionals.
Website: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/
Now take a look at the My Aged Care Glossary for a list of all the current terminology used in
aged care. This is available through the website.
Glossary: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/glossary
Health ombudsmen and complaints commissions

An ombudsman or complaints commission deals with complaints from citizens or consumers about
agencies, departments or providers. It is a free service that investigates those complaints and finds a
solution that is fair to both sides. It is free, fair and independent. Their role is to help improve the
service where that they get complaints about especially if this problem is more systematic. Each state
or territory in Australia has a different complaints commission relating to healthcare. For example,
Office of the Health Ombudsman investigates complaints in Queensland, whereas the Healthcare
Complaints Commission deals with complaints in New South Wales.
The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare has details of the complaints
commission in each state or territory.
Watch this video from the Office of the Health Ombudsman about making complaints.
Let’s Have a Yarn.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vvzAfoIfJk&t (09:04)
Activity 2.18. Do
Do some research and find the website of your state or territory Health Ombudsman and read
about the services they provide.
Other organisations and agencies

Your state or territory government will also have a department that oversees aged care service and
support. There are also non-profit organisations that have been set up to protect and support those
receiving aged care services and support.
Activity 2.19. Read
Access these websites and read more about the types of organisations and agencies provided in
Australia.
• Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care:

https://www.health.gov.au/topics/aged-care
• Older Persons Advocacy Network: https://opan.org.au/about-us/what-we-do/
Activity 2.20. Do
Do some research and look into organisations and agencies in your state or territory that protect
the rights and wellbeing of older people receiving aged care services.
Quiz time!
• Respect, empowerment, collaboration,

1. The key principles of the flexibility, continuous learning
person-centred approach are: • Respect, segregation, interaction, diversity
Go to 1.2 for help answering. • Diversity, communication, engagement,
support
• Separating something or someone from

another; bringing a large group of people
2. What is meant by segregation together
and congregation?
• Going out into the community; going to
Select all appropriate options church
Go to 1.2 for help answering. • Separating older people from their
community; older people living under the one
roof together
• Chemical, physical, seclusion, mechanical,

environmental
• Chemical, physical, inclusion, collaboration,

3. The five restraint practices are… emotional
Go to 2.3 for help answering. • Emotional, mechanical, medication, safety,
caution
• Environmental, practical, chemical,

situational, physical
4. Not all mental illnesses lead to

• True
psychosocial disabilities.
• False
• The process of ageing
• Discrimination and stigma based on age

5. What is ageism ....
• The generation gap between old people and
Go to 2.4 for help answering. young people
• The process of getting into a residential aged

care facility
• When the freedom or autonomy of a person

6. Paternalism is.... is limited in order to prevent harm to that
person
• Discrimination and stigma based on age
• A measure of the standard of health, comfort,
and happiness experienced by an individual
or group
• Being competent in your job in any

workplace
7. What is cultural competence?
• Showing an understanding and appreciation
Go to 2.5 for help answering. of other cultures
• Being able to speak another language
• Types of aged care services available

8. My Aged Care provides
information about … • What to do when you want to retire
Select all appropriate options • What person is best to look after you
Go to 2.6 for help answering. • Referrals and support to providers who can
meet your needs
9. You have to pay to get a

complaint investigated by the
• True
Health Ombudsman and
Complaints Commission.... • False
1. Respect, empowerment, collaboration, flexibility, continuous learning.
• Separating something or someone from another; bringing a large group of people
together.
• Separating older people from their community; older people living under the one roof
together.
3. Chemical, physical, seclusion, mechanical, environmental.
4. True.
5. Discrimination and stigma based on age.
6. When the freedom or autonomy of a person is limited in order to prevent harm to that
person.
7. Showing an understanding and appreciation of other cultures.
• Types of aged care services available
• Referrals and support to providers who can meet your needs.

9. False.
Topic 3: Organisational
requirements
3.1. Introduction
This topic looks at the practices, requirements and legal standards which have to be followed to work
effectively and correctly in aged care.
• Following the correct professional conduct requirements for the aged care sector, including
support practices.
• Following legal and human right frameworks relevant to aged care.
• Risk assessment and prevention.
• Communicating and cooperating with interdisciplinary team members.
• Using digital technology to access and share workplace information.
3.2. Code of Conduct

As a worker in the aged care sector, it is important follow professional codes of conduct. From
1 December 2022, the Australian Government has implemented a Code of Conduct for Aged Care.
The aim of the code is to improve the health, safety and wellbeing older Australians receiving aged
care. The code empowers consumers, promotes respect and builds trust.
Take a look at this quick guide to the Code of Conduct for Aged Care.
Activity 3.1. Watch
Watch this video from the Australian Government about the Code of Conduct for Aged Care.
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission - Code of Conduct for Aged Care.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTaw2Q2QIkU&t (03:49)
The code consists of 8 elements which require you to:
• Respect people’s rights
• Treat people with dignity and respect and value their diversity
• Respect people’s privacy
• Provide high quality care in a sage and competent manner
• Act with integrity honesty and transparency
• Take action on quality and safety by promptly responding to issues and concerns
• Provide safe care, free from all forms of violence and abuse
• Take reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence, abuse and neglect
Activity 3.2. Read
Read this website from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission which provides
information about the Code of Conduct.
Code of Conduct for Aged Care – Information for Workers.
Website: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/providers/code-conduct-aged-care-information-
workers
3.3. Support practices

When providing support in Australia, especially in areas like healthcare, aged care and social
services, there are important principles and frameworks that must be followed. These rules ensure
that care is given safely, respectfully and effectively. They focus on things like treating everyone
equally, respecting people's rights and choices and making sure care meets high standards. These
principles and frameworks are there to protect both the people receiving care and those providing it.
Person-centred care
As we saw in the previous topic, person-centred care is an essential approach to support work.
Let’s look at this in more detail.
Principles of person-centred care

Person-centred care is also known as patient-centred practice or client-centred care. Here are some
important person-centred care principles:
• Getting to know your client as a person: aged care professionals need to get to know their clients
beyond their age and build relationships with them.
• Sharing power and responsibility: respect the older person's preferences and treat them as
partners in planning care, setting goals, and making decisions about care and their lifestyle
choices.
• Giving access to information and flexible choices: be sensitive to the older person's values,
preferences, and expressed needs. Empower them to choose their care support by providing
well-timed, complete, and accurate information that is easy to understand.
• Coordinating care support: provide the older person with a key contact of service providers and
support networks so that they can contact providers and to get more clarification and assurance
if they need it.
• Facilitating an environment that supports person-centred care: your company or work

environment should enable staff to help older people by practising person-centred care.
Person-centred communication
Effective communication is essential in developing a good and lasting relationship with clients. A key
point to person-centred communication is about sharing information and decision making.
Here are some effective techniques for person-centred communication:
• Sit down while talking. This shows the client that you have time to listen.
• Make eye contact. Eye contact is crucial to all good communication. Even if you need to refer to
your computer or notes, try to make eye contact as much as possible to show the client that you
are listening.
• Listen. Your client will have a much more positive experience if they feel they have been listened
to. Give them time to express themselves and ask open ended questions if you need more
information.
• Acknowledge their concerns. Even if you think the client is not correct, you should acknowledge
their concerns and research, and then try to explain what you think in a clear and understanding
way that does not make them feel foolish.
• Do not be biased or judgemental. Everyone has implicit biases which could be based on age,
race, weight etc., and it often takes work to overcome them. Being aware of common biases will
help achieve this.
• Respect cultural and personal beliefs. Be understanding of the client's beliefs and culture and
accommodate it as much as possible in their care plan.
Activity 3.3. Read
Read the following website for more information about effective communication.
Communicating Effectively.
Website: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/patient-care/communicating-effectively
Reflect: Think about how you communicate in everyday life. How could you improve the way you
communicate?
Duty of care
As an employee you will have a legal duty of care to
meet the needs of clients by working in a way that is
safe and does not cause them harm.
Duty of care means that you have a legal and ethical
responsibility to ensure, as much as possible, the
health and safety of clients. For example, if you
notice changes in a client’s physical condition, it is
essential to report them.
Aged care service providers must follow several state
and federal laws and regulations. If these laws and
requirements are not met, it can have very negative
consequences on these providers. So, to make sure
these rules are followed, they are included in their
business policies and procedures and practiced in
the services they provide.
This is why it is so important that your work practices
reflect your organisation's policies and procedures as
this will be part of your duty of care. Image by Ave Calvar Martinez on Pexels
You can make sure that you meet and follow your organisation’s policies and procedures by:
• understanding how the organisation operates and what their expectations are
• checking that you understand the organisation's policies and procedures and duty of care
statement
• checking any uncertainties about any of the policies or procedures with supervisors or managers
• asking for an explanation about any doubts you have about the policies or procedures with other
senior workers
• using the policies and procedures to perform your duty of care requirements
• requesting feedback on your work performance
• requesting assistance and/or training to develop skills and knowledge in duty of care or other age
care requirements.
Activity 3.4. Read
Read the following article on worker obligations.

Website: https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/legal-obligations/worker-obligations
Read the following article on duties of workers.
Website: https://www.comcare.gov.au/the_scheme/regulatory_guides/duties_of_workers
Dignity of risk
As a support worker you need to promote the independence and dignity of the client. This involves
promoting their dignity of risk, which is having the freedom to make decisions and choices that might
expose a level of risk to the person. However, you still have a duty of care to ensure the health, safety
and wellbeing while doing so.
Although the client may depend on you for many tasks, it is important that they are allowed to be
responsible for their own actions and make their own decisions. This is integral to the person-centred
care approach.
It is your responsibility to identify and respond to risk in the workplace, but you must also support the
client’s right of self-determination and decision making. In a situation where the client could be at risk,
your role is to make sure the client is aware of the risk and is prepared to live with the consequences
of their actions.
Activity 3.5. Watch
Watch the following video on What is Duty of Care?

Duty of Care vs Dignity of risk by the MHRI.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf4Y7v-SLtc (09:04)
• Duty of care refers to the legal responsibility that organisations have to do no harm to the
people they support.
• Duty of care is not protecting the client from themselves and their own choices but
protecting them from us as services.
• Dignity to risk refers to the rights that everyone has to make choices, take risks and even
make mistakes and learn from them.
• Every person has the right to decide how they want to live their lives.
• Dignity of risk and a person’s freedom to make choices is the most important aspect.
• Duty of care is more important when:

o there is a risk of death or permanent disability
o there is a lack of mental capacity to make decisions, which is decided through a legal
process
o there is an involuntary treatment order, which is decided through a legal process.
• Excessive duty of care is over-protection.
• Excessive dignity of risk is neglect.
3.4. Risk
A person’s safety is essential to their wellbeing. It’s your responsibility to identify and respond to
situations of risk when carrying out your work. You should always work in a way that ensures the
safety of yourself and others, and to do this, you will have to deal with different kinds of risk. They
might be identified risks, which will already be noted in the client’s individualised plan. However, you
might notice a risk which hasn’t been identified or dealt with before. If this happens, then you should
let you supervisor know immediately.
When you are working, there could be risks to you or to the client. For example, how you move and
handle equipment. If handled incorrectly, this has the potential to cause you or your client serious
injury. Always check the individualised plan for information and guidelines. The organisation’s
policies, protocols and procedures will also provide guidelines and standards to follow, such as how to
safely adjust equipment so neither the worker nor the client is at harm.
Assessing risk
It is important to know how to assess risk so that you can take best steps to prevent it. You need to
look at the severity of the risk and the likelihood of it happening. First, let’s take a look at the
difference between a hazard and a risk.
A hazard is something that could potentially cause harm.
A risk the degree of likelihood that harm will be caused.
Likelihood
The more a worker is exposed to a hazard, the more likely they are to risk injury or illness. For
example, if a worker’s skin comes into contact with a solvent found in a strong cleaning product, or if a
worker is repeatedly exposed to a hazardous material, like asbestos.
The likelihood is assessing how likely it is that a hazard will harm someone. This likelihood will range
from:
• rare
• unlikely
• possible
• likely
• almost certain.
Severity
Severity refers to how serious the injury or illness caused by the hazard could be. Death, permanent
disability or an illness such as cancer or hepatitis are all classed as severe. Some examples are
electrical hazards and machinery; chemicals such as acids, and dust particles such as asbestos.
Severity is measuring the consequences of being exposed to a hazard. As a risk assessor you are
asking whether the hazard is so:
Severe = Death, extreme injury or permanent disability
Major = Long-term injury or illness
Medium = Medical attention required with time off work
Minor = First aid required/hazard or near miss report completed with follow-up action
Insignificant = No Injury or near miss follow-up action required
Risk can be calculated as the likelihood of something happening multiplied by the severity of its
consequences.
When assessing a potential hazard, looking at these aspects together gives us a clear idea of how
high the risk might be.
Activity 3.6. Read
Look at an example of a risk matrix from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in the
link below.
Risk matrix - example
You can save a copy for future reference.
Activity 3.7. Watch
Watch this video on hazards and risks.

Hazard, Risk & Safety – Understanding Risk Assessment, Management and Perception.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZmNZi8bon8 (05:31)
• Hazard is the potential to cause harm.
• Risk is the likelihood of harm in defined circumstances.
• A potentially high hazard contains little or no risk if is treated correctly. For example, a
hazardous substance which is stored correctly has low risk.
• A low hazard can be become a high risk if it is not treated correctly. For example, a baker
breathing in airborne flour over a long period could result in illness.
• To evaluate a risk, you must look at; how, where, how much and how long you can be
exposed to the hazard.
• Risk can be managed by limited exposure to a danger and risk-reduction measures.
• People’s beliefs and perceptions of risk are not always accurate, so it’s important to assess
risk on fact instead of opinion.
Personal care worker risks

You need to be careful with your own health and safety when providing support.
Below are examples of potential risks you might face and the strategies you could use to minimise or
eliminate the risk.
• muscular stress from difficult physical tasks and handling or moving a client
• slips, trips and falls
• workplace violence and aggression
• psychosocial risks, such as role overload, conflict with clients or staff, poor workplace
relationships and bullying.
The table below looks at some risk examples and strategies to avoid them.
Risk Strategies
Muscular strain from lifting a • Ensure that you are trained in how to lift people safely.
person onto a bed
• Use equipment or devices as required.
• Apply bed or chair mechanics to aid a person’s transfer.
• Use appropriate techniques such as bending with the

knees and not with the hips, or core body strength and
correct positioning of feet.
Physical or psychological harm • Train in dealing with aggressive clients.

caused by aggressive
• Identify and understanding the behaviours and triggers of
behaviour of a client
the client.
• Eliminate of anything, or anyone, that could possibly

trigger the behaviour.
• Try to avoid being alone with the person if possible if this

is common behaviour.
• Use devices to support emergencies such as alarms or

emergency call buttons.
Table 3: Examples of risks for personal care workers
Working in a person’s home
If you are providing care work in a person’s home, there will be some risk factors that you need to be
aware of and take precaution against.
There are identified risks that may be general to the environment or specific to the activity that you are
undertaking. Under the Workplace Health and Safety Act, employers are obliged to provide a safe
workplace and employees are obligated to follow safe work practices. For general risks, an
organisation will normally have control procedures, usually outlined in policies and procedures and
provided through training, which provide guidelines and instructions for workers to follow.
Environmental risks
The client should feel that they are not at risk from harming themselves in their living environment.
Accidents in the home can be one of the main sources of injuries and could even result in death if
potential hazards are not minimised or eliminated.
As a person ages, their bones become more brittle, their sense of sight, smell and touch often
deteriorate, as does their sense of judgment and reaction time. This means that the risk of injury
significantly increases.
When you are caring for someone in their home, there are some environmental risks you need to be
aware of.
For example:
• slippery or uneven floor surfaces
• physical obstructions, locked doors, furniture blocking exits and so on
• poor home maintenance
• poor hygienic practices in the home
• poor lighting
• inadequate heating and cooling
• inadequate security
• pets.
Here are some ways to minimise the risk of harm in a client’s living environment:
• inside and outside door handles and locks are easy to operate
• door handles are lever-action instead of round knobs
• carpeting and rugs are not a trip hazard
• appliances, lamps and cords are clean and in good condition
• electrical overload protection is provided by circuit breakers, fuses
• electrical cords are placed out of the traffic flow and are not underneath rugs and furniture
• ensuring the kitchen area is well lit
• making sure that there is adequate ventilation, particularly near heating and cooking areas
• cabinets and shelving should be easily accessible to the client
• non-slip flooring is in place
• temperature limiters for the hot water system
• smoke detectors are fitted and working
• telephones are easily accessible in the event of an emergency
• light switches should be easily accessible
• emergency lighting such as torches are available
• handrails and handles are appropriately placed and securely fastened
• garden areas and aces paths are kept clear of obstructions.

Look at the following table of examples of risks that you could face, as well as the response that you
should take to either eliminate or control the risk.
Example of risk Response
An electrical heater is put very close to • Store the papers elsewhere.

a pile of papers.
• Remind workers of the danger of heaters left
near flammable materials.
A person receiving support at home • Provide walking aids.

has become increasingly unsteady on
• Use more than one support worker for aid.
her feet and has become heavier in
weight over the past few months. There • Request for physiotherapy, dietary and reviews.
have been a number of incidences
where she has fallen downstairs.
There has been a client showing • Identify possible triggers.

aggressive behaviours.
• Review the individualised plan.
• Research the person’s history and review any

previous incident reports.
• Avoid being alone with the person when there is

a high level of risk.
An aged care facility has rugs with • The cords should be removed and secured
upturned edges and cords left across more safely.
hallways.
• Remind workers of safety issues.
Table 4: Examples of risks in a client’s home
Activity 3.8. Read
Read the following factsheet about working safely in people’s homes.

A Guide to Working Safely in People’s Homes.
Factsheet: https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/22233/community-
working-safely-in-peoples-homes.pdf
Planning an activity
When you are planning an activity for a client, you should do an activities risk assessment. This
assesses all potential hazards and their potential risk severity. For example, if you are planning to go
for a walk, there is a risk that your client could trip and fall. Remember that every person is different
and has their own level of physical and mental abilities. Therefore, the risk of an activity will change
depending on which client is participating. The same applies if you are assisting a person in an
activity or task which is outside of their regular setting.
A great way to effectively carry out this kind of risk assessment is by having an activities risk
assessment template. Your organisation may already have a template that they use for this. It should
look at the likelihood and severity of potential hazards to assess the risk.
Activity 3.9. Read
Read this article from an aged care service provider about risk assessment when planning
activities.
Risk Assessment – Why Should it Be an Essential Part of your Activities Planning?
Article: https://cdcs.com.au/risk-assessment/
Medication and care

When supporting your client, you may have to assist them in taking medication. It is mainly the role of
a registered nurse to administer medication, or an enrolled nurse who is under the supervision of a
registered nurse. The individualised plan will contain essential information about the client’s
medication and care. For example, when, how and how much medication is to be administered.
However, support workers and nursing assistants can assist clients in taking pre-packaged
medication. Pre-packaged medication reduces confusion for people taking prescribed medications as
it has been packaged by a pharmacist and organised into the correct dose and often includes the day
or time it needs to be taken. For example, Monday (morning, afternoon, evening). This could be
helpful for older people, for example, if they can’t remember if they have taken their medication each
day.
When assisting a client with pre-packaged medication. You must always read the instructions
carefully and follow organisational policies and procedures.
Here are some key points to remember. Medication must be:
• for the right person
• at the right time
• be taken correctly
• not have been tampered with
• be within the expiry date.

Some risks to clients when taking medication include:
• medicine-related problems, for example having an adverse reaction
• inappropriate medicine use, for example, taking medicines which are unsuitable for older people,
or being on medication for too long
• administration errors, for example, unnecessarily having their medications altered.
Activity 3.10. Read
Read factsheet about medicine safety in aged care.

Medicine Safety: Aged Care.
Factsheet: https://www.psa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Medicine-Safety-Aged-Care-
WEB-RES1.pdf
There are also risks in other health-related tasks that you may be performing. The individualised plan
will provide information about identified risks, and these should be considered when you are providing
support to ensure the client is safe and comfortable at all times.
You might have to help with a range of tasks that have a level of risk for the client. For example:
Task Identified risk to client Response
Application of prostheses Infection of the skin on the Clean the area before applying
stump if it is bruised or has the prostheses to minimise risk
A prosthesis is an artificial
chafing. of infection.
device that replaces a missing or
malfunctioning body part, which
may be lost through trauma,
disease, or congenital
conditions. These devices can
include the obvious artificial legs
and arms but also include
hearing aids, false teeth, glass
eyes and spectacles.
Application of anti-thrombotic Tearing the client’s skin. Use an assistive device to

stockings support the application.
These are used to reduce the

risk of blood clots in the legs,
oedema and to improve
circulation. Anti-thrombotic
stockings can be difficult to put
on.
Simple eye care Eye infection. Wear gloves, fresh cotton

pads, follow a specific
Eye wash or saline solution may
procedure for cleaning and
be used to bathe a client's eyes
only wipe once, in one
after surgery or before applying
direction.
eye drops or cream.
Table 5: Examples of risks related to the provision of care
3.5. Legal rights and safeguarding bodies

Human rights
Human rights are basic rights and freedoms that everyone should have. They include things like the
right to live safely, speak freely and believe in any religion. These rights are the same for all people,
no matter who they are or where they live. They help make sure that everyone is treated fairly and
with respect. Governments and laws are supposed to protect these rights so that people can live
freely and safely.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a common standard that promotes respect,
freedom, and protection for all people and nations. The basic human rights are:
• Human rights are universal and are for everyone.
• Human rights are inalienable, which means they cannot be taken away from us.
• Human rights are indivisible and interdependent, which means the government cannot pick and
choose who or which right is respected.
There are several human rights instruments, legally enforceable laws and treaties.
Everyone, regardless of their nationality, race, gender, and religion, are entitled to human rights. As a
care worker, you will need to protect and promote the rights of your client. The law requires you to
uphold your duty of care towards your clients. This means that you have to act in a way that ensures
their safety and wellbeing and protect their human rights.
Activity 3.11. Read
Read more information on human rights by visiting the following website.

Website: https://www.ohchr.org/en/what-are-human-rights
Read the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the following website.
Website: https://www.ohchr.org/en/human-rights/universal-declaration/translations/english
Activity 3.12. Read
Read about the pieces of legislation the protect our human rights in Australia. Click the links to
red more about each Act.
Website: https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/legal/legislation
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

We’ve already looked at the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, which an Australian
Government organisation that safeguards the wellbeing of people receiving aged care in Australia.
Our purpose is to protect and improve the safety, health, wellbeing and quality of life of people
receiving Australian funded aged care (Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.)
They promote engagement and education to:
• build confidence and trust in aged care
• empower consumers
• support providers to comply with quality standards
• promote best practice service provision.

They are also responsible for:
• granting approval for providers to deliver aged care services
• administering the Serious Incidents Response Scheme (SIRS, which you will learn about later)
• reducing the use of restrictive practices.

They also deal with the accreditation of aged care providers.
Accreditation assesses the quality and care of services delivered by approved providers against
quality standards and helps improve the quality and safety of these services. It is crucial to the aged
care industry in Australia, and it was established by the Aged Care Act 1997.
Aged care service providers normally receive funding such as subsidies, supplements and grants
from the Australian Government through aged care programs. The Aged Care Act 1997 is the
legislation that outlines the obligations and responsibilities that aged care providers must follow to
receive this funding from the Australian Government.
Activity 3.13. Read
Read about accreditation and the process of becoming a government-subsidised provider.

Websites:
• https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/consumers/about-accreditation
• https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/residential-aged-care/before-providing-residential-aged-
care-services
As discussed in the previous topic, in 2018 The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
was set up to inquire into the quality and safety of aged care in Australia. This led to the Aged Care
Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018 and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Rules
2018.
The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission works under this legislation. These have certain
quality standards which must be followed. The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS)
Standards must be followed across every state and territory in Australia. This means that the level of
care that consumers get is consistent from all health service organisations across Australia. The
Commission expects organisations providing aged care services in Australia to comply with these
standards. These standards are indicated in the Aged Care Quality Standards wheel.
Source https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/media/82844
The standards of Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission apply nationwide across Australia.
However, some laws are different in each state or territory, so you must also be aware of legislation in
your state or territory. For example, end of life law, which covers legal issues that are relevant to
medical decisions made at the end of life. Each state or territory has its own law about key areas of
end of life, such as guardianship and medical treatment legislation.
These laws must be followed by your organisation so by following organisational policies and
procedures, you should be following your state laws.
Activity 3.14. Read
Read and be familiar with this factsheet which shows the Aged Care Quality Standards from the
Commission.
Aged Care Quality Standards.
Factsheet:
https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/acqsc_aged_care_quality_standard
s_fact_sheet_4pp_v8.pdf
Charter of Aged Care Rights

The Charter of Aged Care Rights is a document that is required by law (the Aged Care Act 1997) and
supports the Aged Care Quality Standards.
It applies to consumers once they start receiving Australian government-subsided aged care,
including:
• residential care
• home care packages
• flexible care
• services provided under the Commonwealth Home Support Programme and the National
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program.
The Charter must be provided to clients or their nominated representative/s and read, understood and
signed before commencement of any service provision.
The Charter identifies 14 rights.
Activity 3.15. Read
Learn more about the Charter and the 14 rights. Watch the video included at this link.
Website: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/consumers/consumer-rights
Take notes about what you learn.
Legislation
The key piece of legislation in Australia relevant to the sector is the Aged Care Act 1997.
It sets out rules for things like funding, regulation, approval of providers, quality of care and the rights
of people receiving care. Laws on diversity and discrimination also apply to aged care
(https://www.health.gov.au/topics/aged-care/about-aged-care/aged-care-laws-in-australia).
Activity 3.16. Read
Refer to these websites for links to laws relevant to the aged care sector:
• https://www.health.gov.au/topics/aged-care/about-aged-care/aged-care-laws-in-australia
• https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/about-us/legislation-and-policies
Other links include:
• Aged Care Act 1997
• The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Act 2018
• Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Rules 2018
• The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards
• Aged Care Quality Standards wheel
• The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare
3.6. Digital technology

Nowadays, using digital technology has become an essential part of our everyday lives. It is used by
almost everyone as a way to communicate and store information. Using digital technology in the
workplace is a more efficient, accurate and safer way to store clients’ data, communicate and to share
workplace information.
One of the issues that was highlighted in the Royal Commission was a lack of suitable technology in
aged care. This included digital technology and access to information. Since the Commission,
organisations across Australia are changing from paper-based documentation and communication to
digital.
Therefore, you need to be familiar with the system your organisation uses and be able to
communicate and engage through this system. For example, this could mean communicating via
email, accessing and storing clients’ data digitally or using an electronic medication management
system.
Watch the following video from the Australian Department of Health on digital technology in aged
care.
Digital Transformation for the Aged Care Sector.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V34gmVEREBE&t (04:39)
• Aged care systems need to be consolidated, standardised and modernised.
• Customers, providers and government will be able to connect digitally to achieve better
outcomes.
• The aged care tech talk is being introduced to keep people in the industry informed on
current situations, upcoming activities and recent decisions and future plans.
Activity 3.18. Read
Read this article about using digital technology in aged care.

The Role of Digital Technology in Aged Care.
Website: https://www.telstrahealth.com/content/telstrahealth/en/home/media-and-events/the-
role-of-digital-technology-in-aged-care.html
Activity 3.19. Read
Read this website which gives information about changes in digital technology from the
Department of Health.
Digital transformation for the Aged Care Sector.
Website: https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/digital-transformation-for-the-aged-care-sector
Quiz time!
1. The legal obligation to meet the

needs of clients by working in a • Dignity of risk
way that is safe and does not
cause them harm is known as • Duty of care
what? • Restrictive practice
2. When assessing a potential

hazard, measuring the likelihood
and the severity together gives • True
us a clear idea of how high the
• False
risk might be?
• Critical document that applies to consumers

once they start receiving Australian
government-funded aged care
3. Which of the following best
describes the Aged Care Quality • A complaints commission that deals with
and Safety Commission? complaints from citizens or consumers about
health providers.
• An Australian Government organisation that
safeguards the wellbeing of people receiving
aged care
4. A health ombudsman or
complaints commission is a paid
service that deals with
• True
complaints from citizens or
consumers about healthcare • False
provider.
5. Using digital technology is a less

efficient and less accurate way • True
to store clients’ data.
• False

1. Duty of care.
2. True.
3. An Australian Government organisation that safeguards the wellbeing of people receiving
aged care.
4. False.
5. False.
Topic 4: Working in an aged care
context
4.1. Introduction
This topic looks more closely at work practices in aged care which must be followed.
• Using the individualised plan to identify tasks.
• Understanding consent.
• Recognising and reporting signs of abuse.
• Recording, maintaining and storing workplace information.
4.2. The individualised plan

An individualised or personal care plan is a document that outlines clients’ assessed care needs and
how to meet care needs. The care plans that are developed, must be understood and agreed on by
the client and their families and carers.
A care plan should look at the client’s:
• abilities, strengths, interest, likes and dislikes
• structure of their day and routines
• time for bathing, dressing and meals
• regular bed and waking up times.

A support worker is usually not required to create care plans. It is the health and community support
services experts such as doctors and nurses, who are responsible for preparing the individualised
plan. However, everyone involved in the care of a person needs to be aware of what is on the support
plan, follow the plan and check that it is working effectively for the client’s wellbeing. You should
communicate with your client and report any changes you think are necessary to your supervisor
Aged Care Plans

Aged Care Plans are tools that are used to identify and address the needs of older people. By
assessing these needs, you are assessing them for the care and services that older people need,
which is their fundamental human rights.
Aged Care Plans must be:
• prepared with a focus on person-centred care approach.
• driven by goals so that older people can identify what they like to do or achieve and what support
and aid they will need to achieve their goals.
• reviewed regularly and updated with any changing needs of the clients, which is the role of the
support worker.
The care plan is essential in identifying tasks which need to be carried out and contains important
information about the client and their daily life. For example, when the client needs to take medication,
when and how they usually eat or bathe, what they like or dislike or any health issues the client has.
When caring for a client, it is essential to be familiar with and follow tasks from their
individualised plan.
Activity 4.1. Read
Read this article about individualised aged care plans from an aged care service provider.
The Importance of a Care Plan in Aged Care.
Article: https://banfields.com.au/2021/09/17/importance-of-care-plan-in-aged-care/
Image by Kampus Production on Pexels
4.3. Consent
Informed consent
Consent means giving permission for something to happen or agreement to do something. In the
community services context, consent is about the client agreeing to receive treatment, services and
care. This could be general care activities, medicines, treatments, procedures or tests.
This is called ‘informed consent’, because the client is aware of and understands:
• what treatment or care is for
• what their options are
• what the benefits are
• what the risks are.

This information must be communicated in a clear way which the client can understand. They should
be allowed to ask questions or request assistance, for example, using an interpreter if necessary.
Workers must give all the required information so that a client can make the most informed decision
possible.
Sometimes, if a client is unable to make decisions for themselves, for example a person in the late
stages of dementia, consent can be given by a family member, carer or health professional who has
been agreed by the client to make decisions for them. This is known as the person’s legally defined
substitute decision maker (SDM).
The Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Healthcare states that informed consent is
integral to the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights, which we looked at in topic 2.4. The National
Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards also require that informed consent processes
follow legislation.
No procedure, intervention or care can be provided if the client has not consented. The client can also
withdraw consent at any time.
Activity 4.2. Read
Read this article about informed consent from the Australian Aged Care Guide.
What Does Informed Consent Mean?
Article: https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/information/what-does-informed-consent-mean
Uninformed consent
Uninformed consent is when a client has given consent to something even though they have not been
provided with sufficient information to make a decision. They could have been provided with little
information at all or plenty of information about the benefits, but none about the risks.
In some situations, a person cannot give informed consent. This is usually in emergencies or life-
saving situations. For example, if someone has an accident, gets taken to hospital and has to get an
emergency procedure to save their life. It is not usually possible to give consent to this kind of
procedure first.
An Advanced Care Directive (ACD) is an important way of letting people know what healthcare
treatment a person would wish to receive if they became seriously ill, injured or unable to
communicate decisions. This is a legally binding document and cannot be changed by healthcare
professionals or family members.
Activity 4.3. Read
Read this article about Advanced Care Directives from the Australian Aged Care Guide.
What Should you Specify in your Advance Care Directive?
Article: https://www.agedcareguide.com.au/information/what-should-you-specify-in-your-
advance-care-directive
4.4. Elder abuse

As we looked at previously, human rights promote respect, freedom, and protection for all people and
nations. This includes the right to live with abuse or neglect. Generally, families, friends, carers and
healthcare professionals are supportive of their loved ones or clients in aged care. However, for some
people, living and caring for an older person can create a stressful and unsympathetic environment
for both the person and their families and support team. This can sometimes lead to intentional or
unintentional violations of clients’ rights and needs.
So, it is essential that everyone involved knows how to provide the right support and care which fit the
needs and wellbeing of the person. Families and carers must communicate with the person and try to
understand what they are going through and how they might be feeling. Not knowing how to support
the person correctly can also contribute to neglect and abuse, even if it is unintentional.
Have a look at this definition of elder abuse from the Australian Human Rights Commission and World
Health Organisation.
Elder abuse has been defined by the World Health Organisation as 'a single, or repeated act, or
lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust
which causes harm or distress to an older person'.
Elder abuse can take various forms, including: financial, physical, psychological, emotional and
sexual abuse, or neglect. No older person should be subjected to any form of abuse (Australian
Human Rights Commission).
The Charter of Aged Care Rights, which is a document that describes the legal rights of people
receiving Government-subsidised aged care services, says that consumers receiving Australian
government-funded aged care have the right to::
• safe and high-quality care and services
• be treated with dignity and respect
• have their identity, culture, and diversity valued and supported
• live without abuse and neglect
• be informed about their care and services in a way they understand
• access all information about themselves, including information about rights, care, and services
• have control over and make choices about their care, and personal and social life, including
where the options involve a personal risk
• have control over, and make decisions about their daily lives, financial affairs and possessions
• their independence
• be listened to and understood
• have a person of their choice, including an aged care advocate, support them or speak on their
behalf
• complain free from reprisal, and to have complaints dealt with fairly and promptly
• personal privacy and to have their personal information protected
• exercise their rights without it negatively affecting the way they are treated.
Types of abuse
The violation of human rights and needs, neglect, and abuse of clients can cause problems, stress,
crisis and suffering. Therefore, you must be able to recognise signs of physical, emotional or financial
abuse or neglect of the person and report it to your supervisor. You should be aware of and follow
legislative requirements and organisational policies and procedures.
According to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, almost 40 percent of people
living in Australian aged care facilities experience elder abuse in the form of neglect, emotional abuse
or physical abuse.
The table below looks at some examples of abuse.
Physical abuse • Hitting
• Pinching
• Punching
• Shaking
• Pushing
Sexual abuse • Sexual behaviours and activities of which the older person has not
given consent (or cannot give consent due to physical or mental
illness)
Psychological/ • Emotional blackmail

emotional abuse
• Name calling
• Intimidating
• Threatening
• Yelling and shouting
Social abuse • Being isolated from others
Neglect • Not receiving essential care, such as bathing and oral care
• Not being able to take the medications they need
• Not having access to nutritious food
Financial abuse • Money is being accessed and spent without consent
• Financial decisions made without their consent (generally the

decisions are not to their benefit or what they would want)
Table 6: Examples of neglect and abuse.
Activity 4.4. Read
Read more about abuse and neglect here.
• Social Abuse.
Website: https://seniorsrights.org.au/elder-abuse/social-abuse/
• Financial Abuse.
Website: https://seniorsrights.org.au/elder-abuse/financial-abuse/
• Psychological And Emotional Abuse.

Website: https://seniorsrights.org.au/elder-abuse/psychological-and-emotional-abuse/
• Physical Abuse.
Website: https://seniorsrights.org.au/elder-abuse/physical-abuse/
• Sexual Abuse.
Website: https://seniorsrights.org.au/elder-abuse/sexual-abuse/
• Neglect.
Website: https://seniorsrights.org.au/elder-abuse/neglect/
Activity 4.5. Watch
Watch the following video on elder abuse.

No Excuse for Elder Abuse.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYrpNJMapNU (4:06)
Take notes on what you learned.
Risk areas
People who need aged care support are generally less independent and more reliant on others for
help. This can leave them more vulnerable to abuse or neglect.
Here are some factors which the elder person may have or experienced which could lead to them to
being at higher risk of experiencing elder abuse:
• diagnosis of mental illness
• current or past abuse of drugs or alcohol
• current physical health problem
• past experience of disruptive behaviour
• past experience of traumatic events
• social isolation.
There are also factors which the family member or caregiver may experience which could lead to the
elder person being at higher risk of experiencing elder abuse:
• High financial and emotional dependence upon a vulnerable elder
• Past family conflict
• Inability to establish or maintain positive relationships
• Lack of social support
• Poor or inadequate preparation or training for caregiving responsibilities
• High levels of stress
• Inadequate coping skills.

There are specific characteristics of institutional settings, such as nursing homes and residential
facilities, that can increase the risk for perpetration including:
• Staffing problems and lack of qualified staff
• Inadequate training of staff members
• Staff burnout and stressful working conditions.
Preventing abuse
Here are some ways you can help prevent this kind of neglect or abuse:
• avoid isolating older people
• keep contact and always check in on older people
• promote an active lifestyle in older people
• encourage older people to stay connected with other people through community activities
• encourage seniors to seek help about their financial matters with professional or trusted family or
friends
• maintain awareness of the behaviours of those who are part of the client’s life and look for the
signs of abuse
• educate clients about their rights
• talk to clients about what they can do if they are feeling uncomfortable (for example, if they
suspect a person or persons are initiating activities and behaviours that may lead to abuse)
• seek professional help, and always report abuse or neglect immediately to your supervisor
• following legislative requirements and organisational policies and procedures.
Activity 4.6. Watch
Watch the following video about taking action against elder abuse.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CKIR4Yqnko (3:10)
• Abuse might not always be obvious to see.
• Some signs of elder abuse that people often miss are:
• the person stops showing up for activities they usually do
• the person looks sad, depressed or anxious.
• If you are aware of a situation of elder abuse, you should contact the Elder Abuse Helpline.
Activity 4.7. Reflect
Think about the following questions.
• Have you witnessed a situation that could be classed as client harm?
• What client conditions may make them susceptible to abuse?
As a worker in the aged car sector, you need to be able to recognise signs of elder abuse or
neglect and report it following legislative requirements and organisational policies and
procedures.
Activity 4.8. Read
Read this article about elder abuse.

Elder Abuse.
Article: https://aifs.gov.au/resources/policy-and-practice-papers/elder-abuse
4.5. Recording and storing information

Recording and reporting
When starting a job with an organisation, an employee is usually given an induction that will include
their roles and responsibilities for reporting and recording information. It might have how to write
reports or complete checklists, what should be included, when they should be completed by and who
should approve or sign them off. One of the responsibilities of a worker will be to ensure that you
meet these reporting requirements which follow organisational policies and procedures.
Both employers and employees are responsible for complying with reporting procedures which follow
organisational policy and legal requirements. Any concerns should be passed onto a supervisor or
reported through the levels of authority of the organisation.
Reporting requirements could include:
• completing individualised plans
• attending and reporting at progress meetings
• completing mandatory documentation
• reporting any risks, hazards or safety concerns
• completing forms and records associated with a client’s care and support
• recording observations
• reporting weekly to a supervisor.
Mandatory reporting
Elder abuse, assault or neglect is a crime, and the service providers and their staff have a legal
obligation to report this behaviour. All approved aged care providers have a responsibility to ensure
their staff receive adequate training to support their clients. They must also follow compulsory
reporting and complete relevant legislative documentation.
Mandatory reporting may be required by law, or a requirement that the organisation has put in place.
These provide clear processes for employees to follow and can also provide frameworks for reporting
such as alleged or suspected situations of abuse or critical incidents.
Organisations will have some compulsory reporting, for example:
• a reportable assault
• unlawful sexual contact
• unexplained absences (such as a missing person)
• reporting a notifiable incident
• workplace health and safety mandatory reporting
• financial reporting
• substance abuse
• physical injury.
Aged care workers are the initial people to suspect or become aware of client abuse, assault or
unexplained absence. Therefore, you or another person who works in the service with you is required
by law to make a compulsory report for any reportable assault.
Reportable assault is:
• unreasonable use of force on clients
• unlawful sexual contact without the client's consent

Unexplained absences or missing residents means that a client is absent from the residential care,
and the care provider is unaware of any reasons for the client's absence.
However, reportable assaults do not include:
• an incident report that has already been reported by many staff to the provider, police or
commissioner
• when the alleged assault is caused by a client previously diagnosed with mental health issues or
cognitive impairment
• the client’s mental health or cognitive assessment was completed before an attack took place
• the care service provider creates, documents and implements strategies to manage the
behaviour of the client within 24 hours of the alleged assault.
For some incidents, you will have to refer to another organisation. These could include:
• the police
• the Department of Health
• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
• a coroner.
Always report incidents to your supervisor first and refer to organisational procedures and protocols.
Activity 4.9. Read
Read the following documents for more information on your obligation on compulsory reporting
in aged care:
• Document: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/sirs-reporting-
using-problem-solving-approach-enhance-effective-incident-management.pdf
• Document:
https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/sites/default/files/media/acr_shs_036_sirs_home_servi
ces_fact_sheet_for_providers_re_subcontractor.pdf
Maintenance and storage

Making sure your client’s documentation is accurate, objective, current and appropriately detailed is
an essential part of caring for them. If not, it could lead to serious issues and harm for the client. If a
client has suffered an unexpected health condition, looking at their case study notes, individualised
plan, progress notes or any other relevant documentation could provide further essential information
to help the client.
Guidelines for completing and maintaining documents will be part of an organisation’s policy and
protocols and a duty of care that you will need to meet. These policies and procedures are there to
provide guidelines such as how to complete documents or how to store and maintain them.
The reporting documentation could be held digitally, in hard copy or both.
Where the information is stored electronically there will be procedures to follow such as authorised
access, password protection and logins or permission rights, as well as where and how to store and
update files. If documentation is stored online or on a computer network, it may be maintained by
including version numbers or renaming with the current date. This makes sure that documents are
secure and organised correctly.
For security, hard copies of documents may require to be kept in a locked file and shredded if no
longer needed.
Privacy and confidentiality

Workers have a responsibility to keep all information regarding the people they provide services and
support to confidential.
As a support worker, you work extremely closely with your client, and you will have access to a lot of
personal information. Your clients have the same right as you do to feel confident that their personal
information is respected and used only for the necessary purpose. So, you are responsible for making
sure that this personal information is kept private and confidential. You must always make sure any
documentation is kept secure, whether it is completed in an office, the client’s home or on your laptop
or tablet.
Organisations have strict policies on the collection, use and storage of client information, and
maintaining the security and confidentiality of client information is a key responsibility. This legislation
is covered in the Privacy Act 1988.
Under law, there are specific circumstances in which confidential information must be shared:
• where the information is required for the purposes of referrals or other professional consultation,
opinion or advice is sought and the client has given their permission
• where the failure to disclose information would breach the terms of the worker’s employment (the
client must have been notified of this exception)
• where failure to disclose information would be in breach of the worker’s mandatory reporting
obligations or other legal requirements.
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982, clients, or their legal representatives, also have a right to
read anything that you have written about them.
Activity 4.10. Read
Read the following documents from the Australian government regarding private policies.
• Document: https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/the-privacy-act
• Document: https://www.agedcarequality.gov.au/about-us/legislation-and-policies/privacy-
policy
Quiz time!
To review what you’ve learnt, answer the following questions.
1. Which of these are true about • They should be prepared with a focus on
the individualised plan? person-centred care approach
Select all appropriate options. • They should not be changed or adapted

Go to 3.2 for help answering. • They are driven by client’s goals
2. Uninformed consent is never

acceptable, even in
• True
emergencies or life-saving
situations. • False
• A document outlining the advanced care

needs of a client
• An order from your supervisor or someone

3. An advanced care directive is…. else in a management position to complete a
care activity with a client
• A legal document that outlines the treatment
and care if a client if they become seriously
ill, injured or are unable to communicate
decisions
4. The Royal Commission into

Aged Care Quality and Safety
found that many people living in
Australian aged care facilities • True
experience elder abuse in the
• False
form of neglect, emotional
abuse or physical abuse.
5. What is the Freedom of • Legislation that states that clients, or their
Information Act 1982? legal representatives, have the right to read
anything that you have written about them
Select all appropriate options.
• A set of strict policies on the collection, use
Go to 4.5 for help answering. and storage of client information

• They should be prepared with a focus on person-centred care approach
• They are driven by client’s goals.

2. False.
3. A legal document that outlines the treatment and care if a client if they become seriously ill,
injured or are unable to communicate decisions.
4. True.
5. Legislation that states that clients, or their legal representatives, have the right to read
anything that you have written about them.
Learning activities
About this document
The following learning activities can be completed in both the classroom and in the workplace. They are provided to further develop your skills
and knowledge and to prepare you for assessment. Your trainer will advise you on the timeframes for the activities. Make notes about the
activities you complete and hand this document to your trainer when you have finished.
Learning activity Details Completed Notes
1. Do some research about You may be asked to share ☐

the professional conduct what you have learned during
requirements of a person a class discussion.
working in aged care.
Make sure you take notes.
If you know someone who
Keep any website and video
works in the industry, you
links you access.
may like to talk to them.
Otherwise you can look at
websites (Australian, of
course) and videos.
2. Carefully read a copy of an If you are not in a workplace ☐

individualised plan and your trainer will provide you
familiarise yourself with its with an example of an
contents and the activities individualised plan.
with which the client needs
support and care.
3. Thinking of the plan You may be asked to share ☐

above, how do you think: what you have learned during
a class discussion.
• the client has been Make sure you take notes.

allowed to express
their dignity of risk
• the principles of the

person-centred
approach have been
applied
• how the client’s

cultural needs and
presences have been
respected?
4. Practice communicating You will be placed into pairs. ☐

with a classmate in a way
Your trainer will give you and
that demonstrates the
your partner a scenario. You
principles of person-
will each play the role of the
centred communication.
client and the aged care
worker.
Give your partner constructive
feedback on their
communication skills and also
listen carefully to the feedback
you receive.
5. Do some research about You may be asked to share

the indicators of elder what you have learned during
abuse. Where possible, a class discussion.
find websites of aged care
Make sure you take notes.
providers and look for
information about what
they do in cases of
suspected or actual abuse.
If you are in a workplace,

look for the policies and
procedures related to this
area and read them
carefully.
6. Provide care to one older If you are not in a workplace,

person, using their your trainer will provide
individualised plan. As part scenarios/role plays for you to
of this activity you will participate in.
need to:
They will ensure you have
• read and familiarise access to the resources and
yourself with your job documentation you need to do
description this activity.
• use person-centred Your trainer will give you
communication feedback on your performance
during the role plays.
• read and follow the
client’s individualised
plan
• obtain consent to
provide care
• use technology to
maintain
documentation and
meet record keeping
requirements
• demonstrate your
understanding of how
to keep client
information private
and confidential.

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CHCAGE013

WORK EFFECTIVELY IN AGED

© 2023 RTO Works

• The student is able to work within organisational requirements

• The student is able to work within an aged care context.

• Identifying job role requirements and expectations.

• Referring work tasks.

• Understanding causes of stress and implementing self-care strategies.

• Being a part of the interdisciplinary team.

1.2. Job role requirements

Using the job description

• the job title

• who the role reports to

• a summary of the role

• the department/area in which you work

• the responsibilities and duties of the role

• required and/or desirable qualifications and skills.

Type of roles in the aged care sector

Enrolled nurse Provides nursing care under the supervision of a registered

Registered nurse Provide a wide range of medical care, including assessing

Table 1: Jobs and role descriptions in the aged care industry.

• Communicate any problems, concerns or issues to residents’ family members as needed.

• Ensure all clients take medications as directed by health care providers.

• Respond to any safety or medical issues.

• Lead daily group and individual activities for entertainment.

Activity 1.1. Read

Read this article about different roles in aged care.

Activity 1.2. Research

• Do you understand all the roles and responsibilities?

• Which ones would you have to ask your supervisor to clarify?

Communicating with your supervisor about your role

Referring work to others

• the situation is beyond the scope of your job role

• it would be a breach of procedures to do it.

• a client asks you about a medical issue.

Activity 1.3. Watch

Watch this video about working within your scope responsibility.

Delegation and supervision

• what tasks need to be provided

1.3. Stress and self-care

What causes stress for workers in aged care?

Activity 1.4. Read

Read these articles about stress in aged care workers.

1.4. An interdisciplinary team

‘Interdisciplinary’: relating to more than one subject/area of knowledge.

• general practitioners (GPs)

• allied health professionals, such as dietitians, physiotherapists, podiatrists, occupational

• specialists, such as geriatricians.

Here are some key aspects of working as an interdisciplinary team:

Activity 1.5. Read

Read this information about the interdisciplinary approach.

Activity 1.6. Read

• Ask someone else in the workplace

Select all appropriate options • Check your position description

• To make sure you are working within the

Select all appropriate options • Because you don’t have a position

3. If someone asks you to do

• Talk about your supervisor to your clients

• Difficulty in coping with the demands of their

• You will be able to handle the effects of