Key Takeaways

  • Carers can transfer their caring nature, relevant skills and lived experience into a paid Support Worker career.
  • With some qualifications and checks, Carers can become Support Workers to provide in-home aged care and disability support services to help people live independently.
  • Support Worker jobs offer flexible, part-time and casual work that fit around family, study or other commitments.
  • There is a growing demand for aged care and disability Support Workers with flexible roles available in local Australian communities with Just Better Care.
If you’re one of the millions of Australians caring for a loved one, your caring nature, skills and experience could be the foundation of a rewarding career as an aged care or disability Support Worker.

It only takes a few steps to transfer your skills and lived experience as a Carer to become a paid Support Worker and start a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Carers and Support Workers each play an essential role in helping older family members or loved ones living with disability with support needs at home.

2.65 million
Australians care for someone with a disability, medical condition, mental illness, or who is frail due to ageing

Just Better Care People & Culture Business Partner, Elham Samei says Carers are ideally suited for the role of a Support Worker and there is growing demand for their skillset.

“We know that more people are opting to receive support at home to allow them to live independently for longer if they can. This means we need more Support Workers in Australia to fulfill these roles and the experience they can bring.”

— Elham Samei, People & Culture Business Partner

What is the difference between a Carer and a Support Worker?

Carers Australia defines a ‘carer’ as a partner, family member, friend or neighbour who provides unpaid care and support to family members and friends who have a disability, mental illness or chronic condition.

Carers might help with:

  • Physical and personal care (like dressing, lifting, showering, toileting, feeding)
  • Providing transport
  • Managing medications
  • Organising and attending appointments
  • Providing emotional and social support.

Aged care or disability Support Workers get paid by people who need support with their health, social and independence goals. They can provide very similar support to what a Carer does and often have qualifications.

Support workers can work for a company or for themselves and be registered or unregistered.

What does a Support Worker do?

Support Workers assist older Australians and people living with disability to live independently in their own homes and local communities. This support can be done flexibly, on a part-time or casual basis that fits around family, study or other commitments.

At Just Better Care, Support Workers are valued members of local teams, providing in-home aged care and disability support services like:

  • Personal care: showering, dressing, grooming and medication assistance
  • Domestic assistance: light household cleaning, laundry and meal