The countrys 42,000 personal care and nursing assistants help patients in hospitals, nursing homes, clinics or in the patients own homes. Promotion in the caring industry is limited, although further study can provide the qualifications to advance to management levels within caring organisations. For women who want to work from home, family day care has become a popular option. Virginia Khoury, child development officer with Drummoyne Council Family Day Care, says caring for children at home has become a highly efficient operation. Day-care providers receive regular, ongoing training and advice from the councils support team.
Home care is another popular option for carers.
Anne Gilhooly, from Home Care Service of NSW, says beginners are given an introductory training course in house keeping, personal care and respite care. Carers and aides describe their work as being fulfilling and are generally positive about the challenges involved. They may have to deal with people with difficult problems such as mental illness, aging, drug abuse, and those who have been victims of crime. They need to be physically fit, as their work usually involves some reasonably strenuous activities but they also need to be emotionally resilient. Carers must have excellent communication skills.