Why Angus considers a career in aged care as ‘cutting edge’

For Angus, aged care works

Angus Smart is a forerunner of the growth of health and fitness support in the aged care sector.

The home-grown personal trainer joined ACH Group in 2009 when aged care providers were only just beginning to embed fitness programs into their core business.

“When I started, we were in this tiny little gym on Gordon Street with a treadmill, a bike, a few weights and some parallel bars,” he laughed.

“It has been so rewarding to have been on the journey with ACH Group as we provide more and more support for people to stay healthy and stay home – and we’ve opened three health studios.

“If you would have told me ACH Group would be offering what it is today all those years ago in Gordon Street, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

Angus splits his time between Health Studio Glenelg where he spends one and a half days overseeing in-gym fitness classes and the rest of his time is visiting homes providing personal training sessions.

He said the growing focus of the importance of older South Australians making sustaining a base level of fitness and mobility made the sector an extremely interesting one for personal trainers.

“The reward and the challenge are particularly stark when you work with people who are transitioning from hospital after a fall or another health complication,” he said.

“I’ve seen firsthand and frequently the impact that allied health teams can have on building people up from a real low point to a point where they can get on with enjoying their life again.

“That feeling you get when a customer is able to go back to a social or sporting club again is just so rewarding.”

Angus said personal trainers in the community should strongly consider a career in aged care as “in many ways” it is at the cutting edge.

“We run fitness classes from 7am to 4pm Monday to Friday supporting hundreds of regular customers,” he said.

“Our physiotherapists and exercise physiologists provide tailored plans that can be delivered within a gram of resistance using our state-of-the-art HUR equipment.

“I’ve also been fortunate enough to be here and work with customers who can no longer visit the gym but now I visit at home to support their fitness and health.”
Angus said for people out in the community, his route to ACH Group was a simple one.

“I saw an ad and went for an interview. Simple as that,” he said.

“15 years on I can safely say that it was a good call from my end.”