Your Guide to Getting Involved in Aged Care Volunteering

First published: May 2025

Aged care volunteering is an opportunity to give back to the community whilst providing companionship and support to older people whilst both living in aged care homes or receiving home care. Aged care volunteering options that are available include assisting with daily living activities to make day to day tasks easier, exploring hobbies and reviving interests that may have been lost, and developing and acquiring current and new skills.

Often, aged care volunteering can be done on an ad-hoc or regular basis. How much of your spare time you dedicate to helping others is up to you. Services that offer aged care volunteering are usually flexible and adaptable depending on what you can give.

Why is aged care volunteering important?

Aged care volunteering is a way to keep older people engaged with their community and living independently. The aged care industry is experiencing a shortage of around 110,000 aged care workers, so aged care volunteering also enables older people to receive assistance with non-clinical services, allowing aged care workers to provide essential clinical care.

Aged care volunteers contribute to the overall quality of life and wellbeing of older persons, allowing them to develop social connections, improve their mental health, and explore and revisit hobbies and interests they may have lost touch with. Aged care volunteers allow older persons to feel safer in their community.

Where is aged care volunteering available?

Aged care volunteering is offered in the following settings:

• Residential aged care – visiting older people within a residential aged care home
• Respite care – allowing temporarily relief for primary caregivers. This could be for a few hours or several weeks
• In the Home Care Package (HCP) Program – as part of the government funded program providing care services to older people residing in their own homes
• In the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) – an entry level support home care program

Aged care volunteering can be done within organisations such as the above, or in a more casual environment such as helping out families or friends.

What types of aged care volunteering are there?

Types of aged care volunteering include:

• Helping with everyday tasks such as shopping, cleaning, household maintenance and gardening
• Driving older people to and from appointments
• Delivering meals
• Providing companionship – visiting residential aged care homes and conversing with the residents
• Participating in social activities such as board games, puzzles, bingo, and arts and crafts
• Hosting social events or group activities that hold a collective interest in a residential aged care home, such as a music session or exercise therapy
• Helping to set up during events, making sure they run smoothly and that everything is packed up when finished 

Aged care volunteering options are often found on the government website or can be independently advertised via aged care organisations.

I’m considering aged care volunteering, what makes a good aged care volunteer?

The beauty of aged care volunteering is that there are many different options available, so there is something for everyone. Qualities and skills that make a good aged care volunteer include:

• Patience – the needs of older people can vary from minimal to more complex. Being able to adapt yourself to environments with older people who require different levels of attention is a desirable quality of aged care volunteers and aged care workers
• Communication – similar to the point above, knowing how to communicate with older people from a variety of cultural, religious and ethical backgrounds is a must.
• Empathy and discretion – especially in a setting when you are conversing with an older person one on one, they may disclose personal information to you. You must keep personal information private, only notifying others who are in a position of authority if you deem it necessary to do so, always keeping the older person safe.
• Ability to multitask – if you are part of a group event, being able to do multiple things at once and keep in mind the needs of everyone at all times is beneficial.
• Reliability – the aged care industry heavily relies on volunteers. Being able to set aside time for your aged care volunteering and sticking to commitments will benefit everyone around you.

Similar aged care skills are necessary for those working in aged care.

What requirements do I need to meet to take part in aged care volunteering?

To work with older people, aged care volunteers will often need:

• A National Police Check
• If the above is not required, you need a National Disability Insurance Scheme check
• Evidence of flu and/or COVID 19 vaccinations depending on the environments and residents you will be visiting
• You will also need to understand the laws and regulations that surround the aged care industry, and abide by the Code of Conduct for Aged Care

Interested in aged care volunteering or kickstarting a career in aged care?

Aged care volunteering is a fantastic way to gain experience in the aged care industry and get a feel for how aged care works. Visit your local government website for more information on aged care volunteering opportunities or reach out to our team today for aged care work assignments across Australia.