Would you take a job in care if you needed a job?

[whydoesitalwaysrainoe]

Pretty much that
I'm admin trained and office roles but I'm having no luck at all
Had a interview yesterday but not hopeful
I have been offered a job as a home carer
The company seems pretty flexible and I can pick my hours etc
It's more pay than the role I applied for yesterday too
It basically entails going around your community and washing /dressing etc
I used to care for my gran myself and nothing phases me really.

Would you take this job until something else comes along ?

I wouldn't, because I'm squeamish about washing/bum wiping random people. If that doesn't bother you, crack on. I have every admiration for anyone who works in care.

Been a teacher for many years but decided I didn't need the school holidays anymore and all the stress to go with teaching. Took a job working with disabled adults and loved it. Care jobs are underrated and underpaid.
Go for it...you might be surprised how rewarding it can be.

Yes and I did when I needed a job. Worked as a carer for a year

It wouldn’t be for me, but you do you

It sounds like you should go for it. There is definitely no reason to judge someone for working in care. Unless it's to judge them favourably because what they are doing is wonderful and essential work.

I judge myself for being the sort of person who recoils at the thought of having to provide personal care. I am also notoriously bad at dealing with people who are ill, I seem to lack the empathy gene and want all sickness and talk of sickness to be far away from me! I know it's wrong of me, but I just can't help it.

If I really needed work I would take a job in care and just suck it up and do the best I could for the people who needed me. My main concern is all the bad things you hear about the agencies, how badly they treat employees, poor working conditions, terrible pay, etc. I am so used to working in 'nice' places that I'd be in for a real shock!

Absolutely but it wouldn't be my first choice. I used to do a similar role. Some of it was really rewarding and I loved being around the people I helped and I'd thoroughly recommend it BUT there are also some that don't want you there or are so fussy about the way things are done that you're on eggshells the whole time feeling like a child being told off. They are few and far between but they get to you.

My granny had some home carers when she came out of hospital. It was the strangest thing. They came three times a day to watch her do things but weren't able to help her. One of them made a cuppa but the rest said they needed to make sure she could do it safely. She obviously told them to stop bothering. Get that job if you can 😂

@MoreCardassianThanKardashian they were more than likely reablement team, their main purpose is to ensure independence is regained by individuals rather than taking over and people becoming more dependent. We have them in our teams and they mostly go to those who have had a fall, fractured a bone, been in hospital a while etc but are deemed as able to care mostly for themselves and don’t have the need for a full package of care. Sorry if you already knew this and I’m telling you stuff you know 😂

If it works for you then good on you. It’s a tough gig and we need people who are unfazed and good at it.

Personally I wouldn’t, purely because I cared for my dad who was on a lengthy end of life plan throughout the pandemic and whilst I’m
physically more than capable and not at all squeamish I couldn’t manage it from an emotional/MH perspective yet.

I wouldn’t rule it out as a future option though.

Yes I loved my job as a home carer.

I ended up going into nursing after doing it for a few months.

Never.

I'd rather be a common whore than wipe arses.

No and I wouldn't clean either if I had any choice, not because I look down on it just it wouldn't suit my personality or skillset.

My adult dd lives in a gorgeous supported living centre where the care staff are wonderful.

OP, just the tone of your post sounds lovely so seems to me you would make a wonderful carer. With what care staff have to deal with I honestly feel they should be on similar rates of pay to nursing staff but at least I was delighted to hear this job offer is better paid than the admin role.

Definitely go for it! Promotion prospects are great for the right people too. 👍

I've never known anyone be judgy about care work, you were willing to work for less pay paying out £200 to travel for 3 hours a day rather than care work. Maybe you're the judgy one?

I have and would again. Loved it tbf. It's one of the things I teach now!

Thank you!

Indeed, it was similar to that although we were never told what they were and we were specifically told that they wouldn't be doing that and would be helping. 😂 in the nicest possible way, a complete waste of time and money for someone who is so desperate for a carer that my disabled mother uses a taxi that's £30 each way to go to help her wash and takes meals a few times a week. I'm the other end of the country otherwise of course I'd be there.

I worked in nursing homes for several years when the DCs were babies/young children. I did permanent nights and I loved it.

I worked as a home carer for approx 2.5 years.
What I will say is that you have to be firm with your care company/agency, as a lot of them will try to take advantage.
I was taken advantage of at the very start because I found it hard to say no.
Care coordinators just want calls covered, they don't care by what means. Some carers end up doing several 14-hour days in a row, I once worked 3 weeks without a day off.
I was even phoned on annual leave to come in (I refused!)

They will try to squeeze in as many calls too without gaps. You'll be expected to see ten clients in 2 hours. (For example)

I'm exaggerating a bit but it's a fantastic job generally, as long as you're firm wrt your hours and days off.
Most families are great, you do get some who are very particular and will watch you like a hawk, even though it comes from a place of concern for their loved one.
A lot of families have cameras set up now in homes too.

You will develop fantastic relationships, there will be good and bad days. You will go into some homes in absolutely filthy and unsanitary conditions, that reek of urine, and so on. We were told to keep reporting anything like this.

You will go into absolutely stunning properties.
You will hear wonderful and also heartbreaking stories, and be prepared for the possibility that the client you saw yesterday passed away unexpectedly in the night.

People who judge over care work are not people worth knowing. What happens when they or their loved ones need care?
I received a comment or two similar but I was very proud to do it, and would do it again.

Best of luck and I hope you enjoy it. I hope I haven't put you off in any way, just trying to give an honest account. It may have just been my company though.

I worked in two care homes when I was younger, it wasn’t the career I wanted but it was extremely rewarding and I’m glad I have the qualifications to fall back on if I ever needed a job in the future. I’d definitely go for it if I needed to.

This
i take my hat off to carers in homes or nursing homes that do a good job. I have a dad with Lewy body dementia. He’s in nursing home now. But been through hands of many different carers. The good ones are simply hero’s. I couldn’t do it, it needs huge patience and tolerance. It needs kindness even when dealing with challenging behaviour (in my dads case hes been agressive, violent at times- a complete personality change due to hallucinations and delusions ) I’ve given feedback to managers on some carers who really go above and beyond in terms of caring, having real connection and understanding of their patients.

BUT, I’ve also seen a few carers who cannot deal with pressures of role or the nature of what is often dirty work. Some have simply panicked at difficult situation (eg dad taking his trousers down to poo in lounge ), some have been dismissive with their patients, some have stood around or watched tv rather than proactively engage with their patients and just being disinterested and lazy.

people should not do job unless they can deal with it and enjoy some aspects of it. It is hugely demanding. Massively underpaid, massively misunderstood in terms of role until you’re in a dementia ward with difficult patients.

dont do it unless you know you can. And if you discover after a month you’re struggling, for goodness sake resign and accept it’s not for you.

Another point is that some clients find it very hard to accept that they need care, or due to dementia or other cognitive decline they will forget their personal hygiene and it can take a lot of persuading to get them to wash, or even eat.

No. I have no empathy.

Well done you 🥳

Double up calls (where there are two carers at the visit) can be wonderful too, though sometimes through no fault of their own they can be quite late to the call (usually because of their own ridiculous rota).
Ive had plenty of occasions where I'd be waiting for my double up partner and I'd receive a text saying 'Sorry I wont be at Dorothy's for another hour'.
You then have to rejig your own calls as you don't have an hour spare to wait about.
Obviously if it keeps happening, it's down to the care company to sort things.