The Unusual Health Sector Set for Jobs Surge
The unusual health sector set for a jobs surge
Sue Pocock talks us through this fast emerging career, designing programmes to keep people mentally and physically active...and it only takes 12 months (part time) to get qualified.
“Many centres with dementia patients will now be scrambling for people with this qualification, but you could also score a position as a council sport and rec. officer or working with mental health patients.” Sue Pocock is brimming with enthusiasm talking about the breakthrough course she is teaching next term and believes it is transforming lives one by one. Cert IV in Leisure and Health (CHC43415) will be available in our local area at award winning Northern Beaches & Mosman College (NBMC). Sue is also part of the lifestyle enrichment team at Anglicare and facilitator at Dementia Australia
"The 2019 royal commission in aged care along with the just released 2019 care standards means centres need qualified people to design stimulating activities for their residents. Almost half a million Australians are currently living with dementia and that number is growing rapidly."
“The new standards focus on person centred care. In this job you must find out the life story of the resident first. The spiritual, social and emotional needs are all part of the care plan.”
"Important questions may be: What are their likes and dislikes? What was their job? I had one lady who was interested in fish and was thrilled with her aquarium and fish centred activitie. Another man had a big smile doing all his golf-centred activities.
Music has been proven to be mentally stimulating and so we design music playlists of their favourite songs and you see the person transform before your eyes. No two dementia patients are the same"
It’s awful to think that in years past (when dementia wasn’t understood) you’d hear terrible stories about the patients being heavily medicated, not stimulated, and just put in front of the TV all day. They would decline rapidly because they had no quality of life. That, of course, isn’t allowed now with the new standards in place."
This course has no pre-requisites and the career would suit anyone who is a people person.
“Sometimes you are part psychologist because of how deep you dive down into their brain.” Laughs Sue.
"There are people of all ages who love this role. People in their 20’s right through to people looking for a career change or re-entering the workforce later in life."Any last words? "It’s very rewarding to making a difference to someone’s daily life and I genuinely cannot wait to see everyone in class."
COURSE DETAILS:
Contact NBMC (Northern Beaches & Mosman College): 9970 1000
This course may be subsidised by the NSW government
RTO ID 90113