Become a Care Worker

Mainly because I knew the role would be rewarding. I always knew an interactive, face to face role would better suit my skillset and as I enjoy helping others, this seemed like a sensible move.

I considered working within a Care Home but working with people in their own homes was more appealing as I knew I  would be supporting clients maintain independence rather than just managing personal care/day living tasks. Working with multiple clients daily was also very appealing. Flexibility with hours was also important and I knew that’s something the Homecare industry could offer.

When I decided Homecare was right for me, I applied to three local care providers and was invited to interview by all three, Shire being one of those. My initial interaction with Shire was easy, friendly and positive which was not the case with the other two providers so choosing Shire was an easy decision.

I was invited to interview at their local office where I met one of the directors. I was pleasantly surprised that a Director was involved in the interview and instantly, I was made to feel comfortable and at ease. The first part of my interview was a walk through of my CV and then questions around what the industry had to offer. We also spoke in detail about what Shire could offer but also what I could bring to the company. It was a very personable interview. I then met the Care Coordinator who went into more detail about the role and what was expected of me. I was also advised about the training I would receive to support me in my role. I was offered the role after the interview pending references and a DBS.

I was assigned to the Care Certificate which is a training programme consisting of 15 modules. I was then booked to shadow a Senior Carer for 2 full days. This involved accompanying the Carer on their daily run observing their duties and how they were interacting and administering medication. I also participated when asked. After the initial two days training, I requested I did another two days as I was new to care which was agreed so I shadowed for 4 full days in total. I then felt ready to start on my own so was assigned a run of clients.  I was issued a work phone, uniform and ID badge prior to starting and booked on a moving and handling practical training course.

Shire office staff are always available to talk – from the Care Coordinator right through to the Directors. As their offices are local I often pop into the office for a cup of tea and a chat with Rosie, the Care Coordinator. Shire are thoughtful and always offer support when needed – a recent example of this is when I had a challenging call which left me flustered so they moved my rota around, so I had a gap to grab lunch and gather my thoughts before my next call. The staff organise regular supervisions where workload, clients and support needed is discussed.

A normal day for me starts at 7am which are my morning calls. Some clients require being woken up and others are already awake and ready to receive their care. I make breakfast, assist with personal care and support my client dress and get comfortable for the day. I will do this with several clients before I start the lunch run. This involves preparing lunch, assisting with personal care and support those with eating if needed. My lunch run normally finishes at 2.30pm. I then have an hour break before starting my tea time run. This is very similar to the lunch run – assisting with meals and personal care if required. On top of these duties, I’ll administer medication, support with light domestic tasks if needed and be the link between the client and their families as and when required. It’s common I will interact with doctors, hospitals and families throughout the day.

Within care I’ve realised now that no two days are the same. Clients health can deteriorate overnight, so the needs of the clients constantly change. Understanding the client and their needs is the most challenging part – especially when some are non-verbal. Dealing with Mental Health issues has become one of the main areas of my job. Challenging behaviour, emotional family members, negative behaviour based on medication changes and evolving mental health issues are all things I’ve experienced in my 6 months experience within care.

Vent to my husband! I often go to the office on days like this to firstly log any challenges/situations but to also get advice. There have been many occasions where I’ve also offered my feedback which Shire always take onboard. The office staff will always ask me to come in for a cup of tea and a chat on challenging days which really helps. It’s a very personable approach.

Be prepared to fall in love and shed a lot of tears! It’s easy to become personally attached to your service users!

Patience is key – some clients won’t want you in their house nor want the care so being patient and understand is a major part of this role. Although it’s challenging initially, stick with it. It’s the most rewarding role I’ve ever done. A lot of clients don’t have family, so you may be the only person they see so you really will make a huge difference to someone’s life.