ACU’s new aged care courses meet growing demand

Australian Catholic University appoints leading gerontology expert Laurie Buys as Professor of Healthy Ageing.

Australian Catholic University appoints leading gerontology expert Laurie Buys as Professor of Healthy Ageing.

Australian Catholic University’s strong commitment to deliver innovative research alongside a skilled workforce for the aged care sector has seen it appoint leading gerontology expert Laurie Buys as Professor of Healthy Ageing.

ACU vice chancellor and president Professor Zlatko Skrbis said Professor Buys will lead the university’s commitment to healthy ageing through industry engagement, research, national and international collaborations, and service innovation.

“I am delighted to welcome Professor Buys to ACU,” Professor Skrbis said. “She is a national leader in gerontology and will lead us in applying our distinctive research lens to the understanding of ageing.”

Professor Skrbis said ACU is committed to providing quality and innovative education and training to healthcare professionals who will be involved in caring for older people.

“Our mission calls us to recognise human dignity as a fundamental imperative, where every person possesses an inherent worth that must be valued and respected. This is especially so in healthcare – which encompasses ageing, longevity, senior services and aged care, along with intergenerational connectivity.”

A former national president of the Australian Association of Gerontology, Professor Buys is passionate about challenging traditional assumptions associated with age and maximising meaningful engagement, participation, and wellbeing throughout our entire lives.

Her appointment is the latest step in ACU’s commitment to delivering a skilled workforce for the aged care sector.

As the country’s largest educator of nurses, ACU has recognised that our ageing population requires nurses with expert qualifications to lead work in this specialty field.

ACU’s commitment to meet the growing demand for specialised aged care nurses has seen it develop a suite of specialised new courses focused on providing healthcare for older people.

This includes the Graduate Certificate in Aged Care Management which is available through ACU online.

This course currently has Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) available. In a CSP, the Australian Government subsidises the cost of your course. You’ll pay the remainder, known as the student contribution amount.

With intakes in January, April, July and October, it has been specifically designed to meet the increasing need for specialised aged care nurses.

It is ideal for people working in aged care facilities, such as nurses, who would like to undertake further study to gain management skills to allow them to advance their careers in the aged care sector.

Students will learn management strategies to effectively identify and support the spiritual and psychosocial needs associated with ageing and learn to lead an organisational culture that positively underpins quality and safety.

With units covering organisational culture and management, ageing and the ethics of elder care, and quality and safety in health care, the course focuses on providing healthcare for older people and supports the development of evidence-based expert knowledge of management concepts, and specialised skills relevant to the aged care sector. 

It complements the revamped Graduate Certificate in Gerontological Nursing, also offered via ACU online with intakes in January, April, July and October, which is part of ACU’s existing Clinical Nursing specialisations.

This course provides a clinically focused approach to care for the older person and is designed to deliver theoretical support needed for specialist clinical care in the gerontological setting.

Students learn how to undertake risk assessment, clinical decision-making and to implement risk mitigation strategies to ensure the delivery of quality and safe person-centred care to older persons.

Both courses support graduates to achieve specialised theoretical and professional knowledge and skills needed to provide quality care to the aged care sector.

Importantly, students develop the skills to generate strategies that empower older people and their families to be active partners in the planning and delivery of safe and effective care.

For further information: Postgraduate programs for Nurses and other Health professionals

Advertisement