by Claire Kernaghan

Created on: March 07, 2009

Working in aged care is just one of those jobs where the rewards of the job outweigh the down falls. Aged care is such a rewarding area of nursing; it helps us realize that aging is not a something to fear but a life process and a collection of memories. It helps us remember that age is not a burden but a state of mind, and old age is only 15 years older then you are, remember when you were in primary school and you thought your teachers (and parents) were so old! Everyone experiences aging differently, some people are young at 90 and others are old at 60. But they are all young at heart; it is just their bodies that have let them down.

When working in aged care you get to know those patients and their families, in a way you become a part of their extended family. You get to share their life experiences, stories of war, how to live off the land, how they lived without technology (yes, it is possible!) and stories of lovers lost and lovers found. You learn so much from the patients, like how to appreciate life and to live every day to the fullest. You realize that people in nursing homes are not hopeless and ready to give up on life but quite the opposite.
Working in aged care helps you hone in on those important nursing skills, getting back to basics, proper bedside manner that we often lose track of in the hustle and bustle of hospital life, and you improve your recognition of signs and symptoms such as in urinary tract infections or dementia, delirium and depression.

When you work in aged care every day is a new experience, and sometimes you need to re-introduce yourself every day. My mother always says there are three joys of getting old, you make new friends every day, you can hide your own Easter eggs, and you make new friends every day.

Growing old is a part of life, and it will happen to all of us someday (that is, if we are blessed enough to make it that far) and in the end we are all dependant on one another, both young and old.

There is nothing more rewarding than coming home from work knowing that somehow and in some little way you made a difference to one person, knowing that you have done a good day's work in an area of nursing that gives out emotional rewards.
After all, we are all going to grow old one day and we can only hope for the compassionate care that I'm sure we all deserve. Aged care is not only looking after the elderly but providing a quality of life. It is important to remember that old people are not necessarily sick people, they just need a little help, and I'm sure we could all use a little help at some stage.

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