To ask you about your job in a care home?

[TrueFriendsStabYouInTheFront]

I applied for a weekend job in a lovely care home, got the job and had my induction today

I have never worked in care before, the only relatable experience I have is being a mum!

Today I helped bring residents down from the lounge to lunch, and fed one lady. The rest of the time I was kind of stood around not knowing what I should be doing really. Would love to hear from carers about your day to day

I was a carer for 9.5 years, first residential care home, then community/home care, then the dementia wing of a nursing home. All very different. It really depends what kind of home you work in, what level of care is required etc.

My main advice for any care job though is the foundation to good care is patience in all aspects (be patient with repetitive or aggressive people, and never rush through a task, etc).

Also make sure you're happy enough in the job to give it your all every day, because quality of care and even the mood you're giving off can really deteriorate if you're unhappy in any given care role and that's not good for you or your service users.

Congrats care is the best job in the world (imo!) :)

Is it a nursing home or residential home? Both very different.
I'm in a nursing home. The routine is pretty full on for the whole 12 hour shift.

It's a nursing home, I was quite surprised as to how calm it was there, there are 29 residents and I believe 5 have dementia

I am a home carer and residential. Home care feels more personal and slower pace. I struggle with 12hr shifts in the home but I love the people I care for. Treating with dignity is important but we do have a giggle with those we care for and lovely chats too! Is very demanding.

If you are standing around not knowing what to do, take the time to chat to some of the residents and get to know them. Sadly I think most carers are rushed off their feet and often don’t have the time for this kind of basic activity which can really make a real difference to people’s quality of life.

I used to work in a similar field and when I was new I felt like a spare part. In my experience other staff will appreciate it if you are honest and say something along the lines of ‘you don’t really know what you are doing, you’re happy to do whatever you can to help but they might have to tell you what to do for a while’. In my experience that mainly involves washes, moving patient bed to chair etc, toileting and feeding.

Once you're on the rota, you'll be rushed off your feet, in my experience.

I’m a relative rather than a carer.

My advice would be to please be kind, both to the residents and their families. If you’re standing around then have a look at the residents and see whether there’s anything you can do to support them. Conversation, get them a drink, check they’re comfy, try to establish a bond. If families are in then try to smile at them. I’ve had two elderly relatives in ‘homes’ and going in can feel like an ordeal when it seems the staff aren’t friendly. Please be one of the good ones

You literally do not stop from 8am to 8pm, I worked in emi unit and was the hardest job I’ve ever done, I loved the residents but mentally and physically exhausting, especially when you get physically abused by some residents due to their dementia, I’ve left care now sadly

I did a year in a nursing home. Most residents were very frail/bed bound and it was hard physical labour moving people around on stand aids and hoists ......... I used to come home beyond even having a conversation after a 12 hour shift. I couldn't carry on with it, mainly due to the incessant phone calls asking for constant cover. I had holiday declined nearly every time, and frankly it was the most joyless thankless job I've ever had.

I enjoyed home care more, did that for a few years but hated the dark nights and having to leave someone vulnerable alone overnight.

My advice would be to know and respect your own limits, both physical and mental. And turn your mobile off when you're off duty!

I work in community nursing now but worked as a home carer for a number of years prior. My advice is patience, compassion, empathy and equality. As others have said I’d you find yourself in a bit of a lull try and find out about your patients, I love nothing more than finding out about my patients life, looking at their photos etc they have had fascinating lives.

One thing I will point out, I apologies but it really annoys me, you aren’t feeding someone you are assisting them to eat. I always find saying you are feeding someone sounds like something you’d use to refer to an animal/pet

Another relative. What I appreciate in the nursing home is that the carers know my relative as an individual, which means they've taken the time to listen to him and find out who he is, and how he likes to be helped, and what he prefers to do on his own, even if it is a struggle and takes four times as long.

One thing I'd like to mention from personal experience as a daughter of a parent in a care home is that some residents are not always elderly (majority are). My mother had early onset Parkinson's disease and ended up very frail and bed bound in the end. She was only 58 when she died. Making sure they are comfortable is so important and just showing that you care. Good luck.

I worked in care for many years and I never had a moment. It was flat out with getting residents up and washed and dressed. Down for breakfast x several patients. Then into the lounge (then staff break) make beds (hospital corners and change linen) and then prep for lunch... loads of buzzers with many residents staging in their rooms and feeding etc.

Staying

I done 3 years in a residential care home where they all had dementia.
It was really hard at first feeling like a spare part, not knowing anyone, the routine and what to do as i didnt have my training for another 4 weeks after i started, so i couldnt do any moving and handling.
Once i got into the swing of it i really did enjoy it, and once I got to know the staff it was much better.
Residents were lovely, a few did make me feel on edge with unpredictable behaviour which is expected with dementia.
Unfortunately we had bad management and towards the end it was awful, i went on maternity leave and never returned.
Im hoping my next care job i can get in the NHS currently have a cleaning job in the NHS to get my foot in the door.

When I worked in a care home, I would play games, do crafts and dance with them.
I think it's just basic human connection, I would also just chat, which I found important. Find out about them.
Some couldn't communicate back but I looked in their care plan and spoke with family to find out about them and then I was able to chat to the resident about their life. You could see their eye light up!

Many of mornings I discussed how busy they had been on the farm that morning because there was a cow calving. Obviously, they had just got out bed and been brought to the the lounge but I think it'd important to connect to their world and have a conversation with them. I never challenged whether they were wrong as it can be a very difficult and scary at times for them.

One lady was very stressed and wouldn't settle so I found myself feeding chickens and helping her do chores before she would have her breakfast.

I HATED working with people who spoke over the resident, like they were invisible. If I'm with a person, I'm with that person!! One of the best jobs I ever had!!

My dm was resident in a care home and is now in a nursing home and i am amazed at the different quality of care she receives in the nursing home, (infinitely better).
In the residential home they left her alone in her room for hours and hours (her choice not to 'join in') but it affected her mood being alone so much. Whenever i visited, there was never anyone with her, or much evidence they did much more than pop in with cups of tea or clean washing.
In the nursing home she is out of her room every day, i often find the staff either sitting with her, or doing some colouring with her, or involving her in their report writing, (her chair pulled up to the desk, them typing with one hand, while holding her hand with the other).
When i am visiting her, i see the staff sitting and chatting with other residents, distracting them from their dementia driven need to 'go home'. Honestly, the best thing, imo, that you could do in that 'standing around' time, is to chat to the residents. The difference to their lives, if you do this, is immeasurable.

My OH is in a nursing home with end-stage PD. Most people there are about 20-30 years older than him.

The care is excellent though, in spite of the fact that I am having to sell my home to pay for it.

I think that people feel a bit of a spare part at the beginning of any job. This will not last!

What I would want from carers in my OH's home who have a minute to spare would be that they simply go and chat with him. Find out who he is; let him talk about his life and his family; find out who the real person is under this sad shell; read to him; ask if he would like you to put on radio or TV programme and help him with this; hand massage, ....the gift of your time and interest is very precious.

@mischance hopefully you will get Continuing Healthcare Funding eventually. It's crap that you have to sell your home.

My FIL has dementia he's 65 now but has had it since he was 56.

He lives alone in bungalow and i go in everyday
I do his personal care and shopping washing cleaning ect but we have carers in to do medication and his evening meal. He has a fantastic sense of humour and is a real good laugh and enjoys a bit if banter and a chat. Some carers that come in are amazing and they make him happy others don't even say hello they just walk in and start preparing his meal which is stuff I've already cooked just warmed up.

You can instantly see him deflate when they don't talk to him, it's really quite sad so as a family member I'd say please take the time to talk to patients just that bit if communication really can change their moods and make their day.

I really hope you enjoy your new role

Really interesting reading these. I cant imagine going into someones home and not talking to them! I treat them as I would like to be treated. I do get verbal abuse and sometimes the odd slipper thrown at me because if dementia but it usually can be diverted before it escalates. When it escalates it's hard not to take it personally but you do have to know it is not personal and just try and calm them and keep them safe x

My DM has just died after four years in a dementia care home. The carers had different approaches, some I preferred more than others but I learned to appreciate them.

In her early more lucid times she would not have appreciated being called "my darling" or having her cheek stroked. Towards the end this was exactly the approach that she responded to.

@Skyejelly The amount of people I have worked with didn't grasp that elderly needed just as much interaction as younger person was shocking!!
They also viewed them as badly behaved or moody. Rather then having an illness!
I found myself engaging the resident due to workers ignoring them.and talking about themselves and their life. I found it very frustrating. Worst was at lunch/dinnertime; residents that ate pureed food and needed feed; workers would feed them but talk to the other worker beside them rather than the person they were feeding.

It was awful and my heart broke. I tried to be as interactive as possible. My manager once give off to me for being to loud cause I was singing and dancing with them.

I manage a mental health ward, so quite different but not a world away. I ask my team to be available and engaging on free moments. Strike up a chat, offer a board game match, share a cuppa, that sort of thing. It's also ways good to offer semi-continent residents the chance of a wee.

If you regularly notice you have a few spare minutes try to spend individual time with residents after their personal care so you know everyone has had the chance of a good conversation.