Do you have what it takes to become a live-in care giver?
For many people, having a live-in carer is the best option for leading an independent and fulfilling life. Being able to stay at home with round-the-clock care often fits better than moving into residential care due to comfort.
Live-in care – what is it?
Working as a Live-in care giver involves living with the person you are caring for. This means that the work tends to be varied and interesting. You are not just a basic care giver but a companion. Working as a live-in care giver might involve any of these tasks:
● personal care – helping with washing, continence, dressing etc
● preparing, cooking and serving meals
● supervising medical plans and medication timing
● assisting with mobility
● light cleaning duties
● providing companionship
● helping with hobbies and activities.
We always do our best to pair up people with similar interests, making your job more enjoyable from both sides. So if you’re a keen gardener you may find yourself helping someone in their garden. If you’re a football fan, you’ll have a chance to chat about your favourite subject for hours while caring for your client.
Live-in care is about making sure the person you are providing care for has the best life possible. We like care givers to take some initiative in knowing how to provide a high level of quality of life. The person you are providing care for may be reticent in asking for things, feeling it’s not your job to do certain things or worrying that they are asking for too much. But a trip out shopping or a visit with friends, for example, can make all the difference.
Sometimes, something as simple as reading a favourite book to someone who can no longer see or concentrate well enough to read it themselves can have great meaning to them. Getting to know the person you are providing care for, their likes and dislikes, will
make both of your lives more interesting and fulfilling.
Hours and living arrangements
You will have your own room while you work as a Live-in Care Giver; a place for privacy and resting. You will be given dedicated break times each week so that you can take time out from caring and take care of personal matters. We believe this is important for your well-being.
Most live-in care givers work for a few weeks at a time before taking a break. We develop each care plan to suit the person, so the care plan is changeable. Some people will need more care than others, so you will find that each placement varies. You may be on-call overnight, and the amount of time you spend on each duty will vary depending on the person’s needs.
You will always have support available if you need it. You will have a number to call If you need any help or advice at any time, day or night. We carry out risk assessments and at the start of each placement, you’ll be made fully aware of your duties and the care plan.
Transitioning into live-in care work
If you think you would be suited to working as a live-in care giver, you don’t necessarily need any experience or qualifications to start with. This is because we are proud to say that we offer incredible training and career development opportunities within our company, and will be able to give you live-in care Worker training.
If you already work in the care industry you will have an advantage, and will likely be able to transition into live-in care faster. If you have
previously cared for a family member, this is something we will definitely take into consideration too.
Many Live-in care givers start out as visiting care givers. This is a great introduction to care work and gives you the opportunity to work on training and obtaining qualifications at the same time. If you have previously worked as a care giver or live-in care giver, you will be in a great position. Continuous professional development is important to us though, so you may find you need some top-up or refresher training before starting placement.
Whatever position you are in now, you may be surprised to hear how far a career in care can take you. You may start out as a basic care worker, but with the right training and attitude, you could become a registered care manager.
Qualifications and requirements
To us, a caring temperament and friendly personality are more important than qualifications, age, sex or ethnicity. There are certain aspects of live-in care that means we will have some requirements of potential care givers but these will often depend on the placement.
For example, in some cases you will be required to prepare food and cook, so you will need to show us your cooking skills. We also suggest that you will find it helpful to be able to drive. Additionally, we do require a full, clean driving license if you are going to be driving for work.
You will need to consider your personal situation before committing to becoming a Live-in care giver. If you have your own family, are you willing and able to leave them for weeks at a time? It is a big commitment, but many people find they can work around their other
responsibilities.
Where to start
Give us a call on 03300 43 45 46 if you are interested to become a live-in carer. We always have care positions available and are on the lookout for Live-in care givers.
If you are just starting and need training, we will talk you through all the options and get you started.
Do check out our Facebook page for more information.