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 worked in one for two years, but as a cleaner.
I loved it, I got to know all the residents, spoke to them, made sure I knew how they liked their rooms, and often, just had fun!
One guy who was non verbal, but could understand everything loved boiled sweets, I'd often take him some in, he used to love watching me mop the dining room and would drop the sweet wrappers on the floor and chuckle at me picking them up.
One of the ladies like wee clips in her hair, Dd was young at the time so I'd borrow hers to lend to her.
Another liked her doll wrapped in a certain way so I'd always do it.
One of our guys liked when we sang, one memorable June day had me and the manager skipping up and down the corridor singing McFly.
I'd take extra cups of tea/biscuits, read to them.
Basically whatever I could, I miss it a lot.

It's all bringing back memories, I'd be gutted when we lost someone, and always attend the funeral, if I could.
I should really look into volunteering.

I think that's partly what keeps me in care
Knowing that I am doing my job and keeping peoples dignity and respect as a person. I feel like I need to stay!

I'm working as a HCA while studying towards becoming an Art Therapist. I've worked in a hospital, a residential home and am now Agency staff working in a variety of Nursing Homes, working with people with dementia and various mental health issues.

Every single home is different in the way they work. But all residents/patients need to be treated as indivuals.

While you are learning and before you start properly, the best advice I can give you is to learn about the people you are caring for. Glance around their rooms when you get the opportunity -you can learn so much about them just from that. I had one lady with dementia, couldn't move and didn't really talk, who used to sing 'oh lord' over and over for comfort, never anything else. Some got annoyed with it. First time I met her I spotted pictures in her room that shown where she was raised and her religious persuasion and other little things from her life. A week later, when I was more involved,I sat next to her while she was being dressed and said 'I love it when you sing *** , I bet you were in the choir when you were little' and she turned to me, smiled, rested her head on my shoulder and managed a whole verse of her song -she'd never done that before. She looked to me and sang to me smiling every time I saw her afterwards 😊