Workin in a care home

[waitinforamiricle]

Evening all
I currently work in home care and have done for the last 4 years, I love my job but am considering applying for a job in a care home.

Iv done my home work and looked in to the home and read lots of reviews but now I'm lookin to hear people's experiences of workin in a care home Iv only ever heard the horror stories

Hated it. I worked in a care home just after covid. I loved the residents and I actually loved the job - but the management and the other staff were horrendous. I worked night shift. First night shadowed on the non dementia ward , second night I was left on my OWN in a room full of dementia residents for 2 hours. Didn’t know their names, didn’t know who was allowed to get up and walk unassisted etc. Third night I was left to get people to bed and asked to change pads etc.
i was never given any care plans to read and was not given any set breaks. I was left to look after the whole dementia side on my own whilst the other carer looked after non dementia side - and senior sat on their backside watching tv or asleep.

I saw the staff behave in terrible ways towards the residents - shouting at them, punishing them by leaving them naked in bed if they wet it, picking up residents on their own etc. Management made us drag people out of bed at 6am because they wanted a certain amount of people up by the time dayshift came on. We had to wake people up, wash them, change them, tidy their room, bring them to the lounge, make them a drink and fill in their paperwork. It was HORRIBLE. I ended up leaving and reporting the care home but when they were investigated they said they found no evidence of what had been happening and closed the case

I’m not kidding when I say I was traumatised by the end of it. I really struggled to fit into a normal work environment because of the mess I’d been made to work in previously. Care homes (in my experience) are horrible to work in. The one I worked in was all about other staff covering their own backsides and lazy seniors sleeping and doing bare minimum.

showmethefood I've worked (agency) in many. You have summed it up perfectly.

Honestly stick with home care. I've done home care for the last 5 years and a few shifts in care homes. I hated every second of the care homes. To me the care is too impersonal. One time whilst everyone was waiting for dinner to come one gentleman with dementia asked where his dinner was. One of the carers then screamed at him to either shut up or he would be sent back to his room with nothing to eat. A lady who was unable to eat due to not being able to hold or lift a spoon or fork to her mouth was left to slop food all down herself and all over the table. The staff just stood there watching, laughing and joking with each other. I was only in there to care for 1 lady but had to leave my lady ( thankfully able to feed herself) to go and help the other lady just so she had something to eat. I complained whilst I was there but nothing was done.

Residents nice. Staff diabolical.

My advice would be to steer clear. These places are constantly short staffed and the carers are very overworked. They're usually depressing places and you will see things that will keep you up at nights.

Ours is lovely. The residents are lovely, and so are the staff. We definitely don’t get people up to a schedule. New staff shadow for a week, and are then paired with experienced staff for a month.

I work as a cleaner in a care home, and every day I end up helping with actual care work because agency staff either don't care or don't know what to do. I'll feed residents and dress them. Management know that the cleaners have to help and don't care either.
Carers are told to not give residents much to drink to save money on pads.
Some of the residents are left in bed all day because staff can't be bothered to get them up and dressed.
I work in the severe dementia unit and no management ever, ever comes to see the residents so the bad carers just do what they want and the rest of us try to pick up the pieces.
It's soul destroying. As soon as I get another job I'm reporting it all.
I love the residents and I actually like my job but the place is just hell.

You can report anonymously to the CQC if you go onto the care home's report page and there's a link on there. I would urge you to report. Withholding fluids to save on pads is criminal neglect.

Christ how can people treat vulnerable people like that.

Can you use your
phones,discretely, to video the abuse ?

My experience of many care homes, latterly as a volunteer, is depressing. I think a lot of care homes like to tick boxes for the CQC, but are very lax (due to lack of, and quality of some, staff) in following this up in actual care.

Not to derail, but my Mum went into various homes for respite care, max 3 weeks, and each time I was asked to complete a quite detailed questionnaire about background, interests, likes and dislikes, preferred routine etc. for carers to be better able to cater to her needs. Saw no evidence that anyone had ever looked at the notes after I handed them over. Are there any care home carers who can tell me whether these profiles are ever actually consulted by staff? I shouldn’t think there’s any opportunity.

I lasted a week in a care home. Couldn't get back to home care fast enough

No they're not. The care is sometimes personalised, to an extent, but the more demented residents and those who don't have family visiting regularly (like every day) are usually cared for in a way that reflects the needs of the staff and the running of the home in general. Residents who can express themselves and are assertive, and those with pushy relatives receive the most personalised care. The information that relatives provide is invariably pushed into the notes and forgotten about unless it contains information like drug allergies or relevant medical information.

There are never enough staff or enough time to do things properly. The homes which are good are very expensive. The bog standard ones offer little more than rushed, rudimentary care in a battery hen like manner. CQC don't see what goes on behind the scenes so it's vital that staff report concerns. You get the odd good manager who is approachable, but most are thick, disinterested, stuck in their ways and it's just a job to them. They need to minimise concerns in order to save themselves the stress and bother of dealing with reality.

why dont you try it and see?
if you dont like it go back to home care
it surely depends on the other staff.

there is never enough time ime in home care
that is also very sad

In a nutshell!

Omg some of these places sound horrific! I cant believe it's allowed to go on and nobody speaks up!
I was hopin to hear more positive stories lol I love the job but wanted a change from he care

please report this immediately. You can do so anonymously. You sound like a very caring person, but if you are aware of neglect and not reporting it, then you are colluding with it.

The residents can't speak for themselves, so can only be safeguarded if people around them speak up on their behalf. The CQC website allows you to report in confidence.

in care home you might be able to organise things, visits from pets for example, other activities

@Turnipworkharder we have to lock our phones away in the nurses office at the start of every shift.
@stbrandonsboat I'll do that this afternoon, thank you.

We do speak up. Nobody cares.

Oh gosh that amazing,I wish my would be too
i just start work in care home as I absolutely love take care and help residents ..Its bring me a joy see their smile and happiness,I used to work in hospital 20yr ago and I loved everything,I do not mind hard work,their smile is the best price…
unfortunately our residents are beautiful ,but the stuff is…not all but few..
I got ADHD,I’m also very empathic and love to keep busy and always look for work
unfortunately,I was there just 4days after my 4days shadowing
I like do job perfect and I like to give 100% I also study a nurse school 25 yr ago and now something coming back and I remember…but I’m slow ..as I want to do everything good and I always ask

today one carer told me I’m too slow,I need to be much faster and I didn’t learn anything on my Shadowing what it’s not true I try everything to remember I try remember 40residentd what they like for dring but with my. ADHD I cannot
I takeoff too long give personal hygine I was told
but I don’t want to rush resident it’s not fair on him…

I was told o can’t use break on wheelchair what I can’t understand as at school ant at hospital we always had to put break for safety . I just saw today how resident nearly slip as the wheelchair wasn’t lock and she try put resident in it
i rather was quiet as I was too scared she told me off

I got big heart I’m very kind honest person who believe residents come first and talk to them and be with them is the best medicine

but now I was told I’m too slow I worry I may not be fit for them

just very hard very very hard,not the residents but the stuff not all but one is and also talking behind my back it was not nice…it was very hard not to cry and still do I didn’t hear anything…they look each morning on each other if they have to work with me..my family is working in medical and they got very high position in medical and they told me the trining and everything should takev3 m nit 4days

Reading some of this has upset me so much..

As an X nurse and someone whose own mother was in a care home for a few years with Alzheimer's until she died just before Christmas..

I must say that my Mum must have been very lucky with her home..

Because I lived 250 miles away I spent nearly all day/weekend with her when I visited over a few days.. (10am-6pm)

And I never ever heard or saw neglect or abuse..or even a raised voice..to her or any of the other residents. I certainly heard and saw some challenging behaviour from some residents because it was a secure dementia unit).

In fact I only ever heard kind words and sometimes gentle ribbing.. and gentle handling..

Whilst she was on end of life care I sat with her in her room for 5 days from early morning to late evening and again never heard a cross word from any staff. (It would have been very easy to forget I was there, sitting quietly holding her hand).

I've also worked in care homes and would have certainly picked up on any abusive behaviour. (And definitely reported it).

So whilst I totally believe posters about their experiences it is possible to find a good care home to work in.

I chatted to the staff regularly and everyone I spoke to seemed happy working there.

I'm very sorry for everyone who's had experience with abuse and neglect either as staff, relatives or as a resident.

We must have been very lucky indeed with the care our Mum received.. and I will never forget the kindness shown to my mother and my family.