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Hello. I’m Gill and I’m the Live-in Care Manager for clients in the North West of England and Wales. I love this part of the world and am delighted to cover this region; I lived in Manchester for many years and have many friends in Lancashire. I’m half Welsh with lots of family members in South Wales. |
My Qualifications
I’ve worked in the Care industry for 20 years and have been with Helping Hands for the last 18 months. I have worked in Care Homes, Dementia units, and for the Cerebral Palsy Association in New York. I’ve worked with adults with learning disabilities for the local authority and have an in-depth understanding of adult social services.
Training is very important to me, making sure that I have a wealth of knowledge to support my clients and my Live-in Carers. In addition to my Degree I have completed the following:
- Moving and Handling Training
- Child protection legislation Training
- Protection of Vulnerable Adults Training
- Risk Assessor Training Level 1, Working towards Level 2
- Administration of Medication Training
- Abuse Investigation & Disciplinary Training
- Dementia Training
- First Aid and Food Hygiene Training
- Working towards my NVQ3 in Social Health Care
My Experience with Elderly Care
Whilst studying for my Degree I worked in a Care Home and I’ve also co-managed a Day Centre. Both of these roles gave me a real understanding of conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Parkinson’s. Having cared for my Gran for a number of years I can sympathise with the emotional and practical issues of dealing with Care. I never stop learning and that’s one of the reasons why working with Helping Hands is so rewarding.
Younger Persons and Respite Care
I dealt extensively with younger adults whilst working in New York for the Cerebral Palsy Association. That experience, combined with my involvement with a charitable trust that specialises in supporting adults with learning, physical and mental disabilities, has given me extensive insight into the field of caring for younger people. We treat our clients as individuals and our care packages are tailored to them. I work with my clients and their relatives to define how, when and what care and companionship is needed.
Respite Care can make a huge difference to the main care giver if they are a close family member. One of my client’s daughters was her main personal care provider; she hadn’t had time out for a number of years, was really suffering and very stressed. Helping Hands put a Respite Care package in place, the daughter was so pleased and found the whole process so quick and easy, that they have since decided to have Live-in Care from us on an ongoing basis.
Job satisfaction
When relatives start to see the Helping Hands Carer as an extended family member I know we have all done our job well. The best part of my job is going to see my clients and seeing the relationships that they have forged with their Carers.
We can never forget how important independence is for our clients and what a difference Live-in Care can make in their life. One of my clients is in his late forties and was in a road traffic accident. We had been providing Live-in Care for a year but he recently needed to go into a respite care unit due to a change in his condition. Having recovered he is now desperate to get back to his Live-in Care routine, and regain his independence at home.
Tell us about your Carers
Recently one of my Carers was planning a holiday. Just before ‘handover day’ with the replacement Carer, the existing Carer called me to find out if the new Carer drank coffee? I found this question a bit weird, but then she told me that she was about to go shopping and wanted to make sure the new Carer has everything they needed as neither she, nor the client drank coffee! That just demonstrates the nature of our Carers, they really do think of everything!
A Bit about me
I’ve been told that I have a very calming nature! I’m patient, grounded and steady, but very positive and happy! My desire to work in Care came from my belief that an illness should not define a person, nor stop them leading an independent life with the right support. I love country walks with my dog Charlie and spending quality time with friends and family.
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