What is it like being a carer?
As a Helping Hands live-in carer, no two days will ever be the same, but that’s what makes it such an interesting and rewarding job!
It takes a special kind of person to be a carer and a good private carer is someone who truly cares about others and is not just earning a living. This is a special job, and it needs special people to do it. Finding out what a typical carer role is like can’t easily be written down, as every one of our customers is cared for as an individual and therefore there is no ‘average’ day.
However, what we can tell you is that if you become a Helping Hands private carer you will never have a more fulfilling role, knowing that because of the actions you take a person gets to remain in their own home for as long as possible and retain as much independence as they can until the very end.
If you’re interested in making a difference to someone’s life we’d love to hear from you. Apply online today or give us a call.
Carer job description and responsibilities
Working as a carer can see you supporting your customer with a range of different tasks throughout the day, both within their home and outside of it. As a live-in carer, you may be involved with:
- Companionship – sharing conversation and spending time together
- Personal care – assisting with bathing, dressing, and when necessary, continence support
- Helping with mobility – some customers need assistance getting around the home
- Overseeing medication – all according to the customer’s care plan
- Household chores – help around the home, such as vacuuming or washing clothes
- Preparing and cooking meals
- Running errands – assisting with tasks such as shopping or picking up prescriptions
- Other medical support – extra training is provided for more complex support needs as well as first aid training
How do I get started?
Getting started in care is as easy as reading a carer job description like this! By discovering more about the role of a live-in carer and the flexible lifestyle it provides, you get a great insight into the type of responsibilities you may just have as a live-in carer. While most people naturally know if they have the passion for delivering the highest standards of care that being an amazing carer requires, it’s still a great idea to do plenty of research first and discover if the role of a live-in carer does sound like something you’d be suited to. Our live-in recruitment team will be able to take you through every step of the process that begins when you express your interest, so click ‘apply’ today and begin your recruitment journey now.
Apply now
At first, I was apprehensive, but the assessors were so encouraging that I soon lost my nerves. Two years on, being a live-in carer is still the best job I’ve ever done. I can’t imagine a more rewarding one.
Maria, a live-in carer
Carer responsibilities
A carer’s responsibilities can involve household help, physical care, providing companionship and emotional support. Caregivers help with daily tasks like getting dressed, showering, taking medicine and socialising.
The responsibilities of a care worker are varied. As a live-in carer, you’ll provide personal care, help with household chores and supporting your customer to get out and about if they wish. Above all else, you’ll provide companionship and emotional support – even if that’s just a chat over a cup of tea or watching their favourite TV show with them – all while living in the customers’ home.
At Helping Hands, we support adults of all ages and with many varying medical conditions across the whole of England and Wales. Just as each of our customers and their situations are unique, so too are each of the live-in care placements and what you’ll be required to do. Some of our customers have complex care needs that require a high amount of support, whereas others may be living with age-related frailties that mean they want someone to help more with their housework and accessing the local community.
Our assessment and selection processWhat do I need to be a live-in carer?
To work as a carer the most important qualities are kindness and patience. Whilst experience is always valued and previous caring experience is useful when taking on the role of a live-in carer, it is not essential. We provide all the skills and knowledge you need and ongoing support every step of the way.
The essential requirements for the role are:
- A compassionate nature and good communication skills
- The passion to really make a difference to someone’s life
- The right to work in the UK
- Excellent levels of English, both spoken and written
More FAQs
How long do placements last?
Live-in care placements are flexible and built around the needs of each customer. Most of them last for a period of weeks and then you can take a long period of leave. You must be able to commit to a minimum of three weeks which would cover some of our shorter-term placements. This also allows continuity for our customers and enables you to build a relationship with every customer you care for. Many of our live-in carers enjoy their time on placements as much as they enjoy the breaks in between, with some becoming more like friends to the customers they care for. Carers like Mary from Zambia use their time off to visit family back home. Others use it to travel or go on a relaxing holiday.
Making the best care match for the customer and you
We put so much thought into matching each of our customers with the right carers. We look at your personality and character, preferred location and your experience.
Experience is a big determining factor when making that match. Certain care packages and conditions require more experience than others, so we always put this into consideration first.
Some of our carers like to work in city environments, others prefer the countryside. Some choose to be close to home and others want to visit different parts of the country. We try to accommodate everyone’s preference, but we do ask for some flexibility.
If this kind of lifestyle sounds like it would suit you, then get in touch and apply today. Search for the latest carer jobs or get in touch with our recruitment team for more details about the role.
I am driven and motivated by knowing that I can wake up each day knowing that I will be helping someone in need.
Beverley, a live-in carer
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