To be fed up of hearing

[Dobbyafreeelf]

That carers are low skilled workers!

After 12 years in the profession I'm not low skilled thanks. I have done heaps of training both formal and on the job training.
If you think we are low skilled then perhaps you could walk a few days in mine and others who have made caring our lives work.

We are skilled in so many ways beyond wiping people's backsides and helping them dress.
We know how to comfort Mrs Jones who has forgotten again that her husband has died and he therefore won't be coming to visit today.
We know how to negotiate and distract Mr Smith who has dementia and wants to go for a walk at 2am and is shouting because we can't allow him too.
We recognise James who is autistic is about to have a meltdown because he can't cope with th noise another resident is making and learn how to diffuse the situation.
We know how how to negotiate all the bureaucracy and help clients and their families navigate all the forms and hoop jumping to get them the help and support they need.
We become educators teaching those with learning disabilities skills they need to become more independent.
We become skilled in every make model of mobile phones/tablets/ assistive technology so that we can help and support our clients in keeping in touch with their loved ones.
We recognise the slightest change in your relatives that could indicate that something is wrong.
We are their advocates making sure that people get what they need to thrives.
And all that is just to name a few.

You know what we're not low skilled. We might not have letters to our names but We are skilled in all the things that the rest of society don't want to do. And we're paid a pittance for it. For a brief moment last year I thought that perhaps society was waking up to what we do. But no. You stood their on your doorsteps clapping but it means nothing.
So please in future give us a fraction of respect and stop calling us low skilled!!

You are absolutely not being unreasonable! It really grates on me when people say this

My mum works in a care home (although did about 15 years in hospitals too). She is a senior carer and when on shift, is in charge of the whole home - often without the owner there!

As well as everything you mention that she and her team do, she is responsible for giving medicines, assisting the weekly doctor's round, making referrals to appropriate external services and managing the team.

She certainly isn't low skilled!

Definitely not being unreasonable. The lack of importance society and the government attaches to care work is scandalous. I work in a “skilled” job that requires post graduate qualifications and that most people would consider prestigious and I definitely wouldn’t be able to do care work - I just don’t have the right personal attributes. It’s time we all started valuing it more and the people working in it are properly recompensed.

Hear hear, I'm a night Care Supervisor in a dementia unit with over 20+ residents. There is me and 1 or 2 carers, no management around to call upon.

Had an agency nurse the other night, don't have many nurses who work there. He had a stinking attitude, said he didn't do personal care or clean or change pads. He was as useful as a chocolate teapot, he was booked in for a few weeks. I asked him if he was coming back and he said no. He also said he was a nurse not a carer, I nearly told him where to go. I had probably had 20+ years more experience than him.

Caregivers have one of the hardest and least recognised roles ever . We need as a society to pay you better and start talking about caregiving as a career . With decent pay , conditions and qualifications. Thankyou for all you do x

After 12 years you’re not low skilled. However, you can easily get a job working in care with zero qualifications and zero experience. Plenty of people who work in care don’t and won’t do everything you listed in the OP.

Yes you can get into care easily, but not many stay. I have worked in a hospital for 12 years, agency for 2 years. Been at my current job for nearly 17 yrs. Plenty of experience and few extra qualifications.

I presume that just means people can get a job as a carer with no skills?

@Howshouldibehave

I presume that just means people can get a job as a carer with no skills?

That’s it. It’s nothing to do with a personal attack on carers.

It would be better described as a job with low entry requirements.

You are absolutely not being unreasonable though. Decent carers are not low skilled.

And this is why the carers role has been diminished because people have the idea that anyone can do it, you often hear “why don’t you work as a carer if you have no job”?

In truth the reason anyone can get a job is because there are never enough carers because they earn crap pay, work in crap and usually unsafe conditions.

And because the care sector is run for profit it relies on agency workers who dip in and out, some who can barely speak English, some who couldn’t give a stuff and some who are hard working caring people.

YANBU would any one on here want their relative looked after by a low skilled worker? No and yet many families look down on the workers who care for their relative in these inadequate conditions.

My grandad was the type of man who always always wore a proper shirt and tie.

When he went into a care home with dementia so severe that he couldn’t recognise his wife of 50 years, every single day the carers dressed him in a shirt and tie.

You are absolutely correct. We need to make being a carer an attractive career choice.
I don't know how that will happen however. It isn't just about salary in my opinion. More people want to be midwives than be the manager of an abattoir despite the second example needing similar qualifications and achieving a far higher remuneration.

YANBU. I wouldn't do your job for all the tea in China, and I don't think carers get the respect they deserve. Probably because it's a "woman's" job.

And even if it were "low skilled" what the hell has that got to do with anything. My job is in theory fairly highly skilled, but there are plenty of jobs (miner, carer, fisherman spring to mind) where you could offer me four times my current pay and offer full training and I'd still say no.

OP - you deserve respect for your skills, for doing something that most of us couldn't / wouldn't do, AND for doing something much more important than most people's jobs.

I think low skilled just means no essential qualifications or experience so it's totally entry level.

Doesn't mean the job can be done by a chimp, and it's no reflection of your intelligence or capabilities in your role.
Don't take it personally OP, lots of 'unskilled' jobs are fucking hard work jobs that most people wouldn't be willing or arsed to do, it's not that you don't need skills to perform well at them

I'd rather have the skills you have, care compassion etc any day. Carers are great all rounders, can do anything. Well done for all you do, thank you.