To think care assistant job will fit in well with family life?

[Livvielo]

Posting mainly for traffic…. Is anyone here a care assistant or has been one in the past? I start a new job next week as a care assistant in the community. My hours are x 4 days a week 4pm-10pm and one weekend shift a month 6am-2pm.
The pay is low- £9.50 an hour weekdays, £10.50 an hour weekends (plus fuel allowance.)
It is less than what I get now for my 3 days a week work in a different field, but this job and these hours mean DH and I can be like a tag team- he comes home from work, as I leave for work. So no childcare issues. I tend to go to bed around midnight, so still a couple of hours when I get back from work.
But I’m under no illusion that the job itself is easy. I’m wondering what the reality of care work is like, and if it really does work well around family life. Any tips? Things you wish you had known before you worked in care?
Thanks I’m advance

@C8H10N4O2

We had classroom training then manual handling using hoists/slide sheets etc

This is the bit I'm particularly thinking of. I don't think manually handling patients is automatically common sense. A week in the classroom with hands on practice before shadowing is very different to a week online training.

I get that many carers have a head start from providing informal care for family members but not all will do. I think its the implied lack of respect for the job, the staff and the clients which I find bothersome.

It might be that it's only single calls maybe? I know some places do that or only doubles On a single call you wouldn't be hoisting or using a slide sheet (well, you shouldn't be...) Any form of moving someone is done with 2 people

The way you are paid, and expected to pay for things, is, sadly, all too common. This is an industry that expects people to do incredible personal and difficult things but treats the people doing them very badly.

OP, I hope it works out for you. To be honest, it didn't for us because while the shifts, int theory, worked around childcare etc, the pay landed up being extraordinarily bad because you don't get paid between sessions. So if you visit someone at 9:30-10:30 and your next appointment on your shift is 11:00-12:00 and then the one after that is at 13:00-14:00 and now your shift is over, you've done a 5.5 hour shift but will only be paid for 3 plus petrol. So after a month of working what felt like long shifts, the take home pay was so awful that it wasn't worth it.

OP if you have cystic fibrosis are you physically well enough to do this very demanding job? I imagine you’ll be exposed to all sorts of home conditions and also have to care for frail people with illnesses and infections that might be a risk for you?

Also be aware that very often the allocation time is wildly insufficient.

I highly recommend watching the film ‘Sorry we missed you’ on Netflix. It gives a good insight into the job.

My mum worked in the sheltered housing sector for years but not even that prepared her for being a care assistant. It’s tough physically and mentally and I’d think really hard before taking it as a job, especially with no experience.

@XenoBitch I just got a secondment on my ward. NHS. I had to pay for my enhanced DBS.

I did care work (home care assistant) when my DC were young and it worked really well. I worked a couple of evenings and Saturday mornings and then switched to Tuesday and Thursday during the day and every other Saturday evening when my youngest DC started school. I received paid training and went on so many courses and I studied for an NVQ. My degree is in sociology and I wish I did the care work before studying Sociology as it’s one thing studying things like disability rights and issues but it’s another to see it first hand.
The evenings worked out well, I never had to worry about children’s illness or school holidays. I agree with everyone that you will be contacted a lot to do extra hours. You have to be firm, if you say no to any extra work they are more likely to call someone else who may say yes.
I’ve also worked in a care home and then did home care privately and charge £25 per hour. I never had to advertise as people contacted me by word of mouth.
I like that I have my NVQ and lots of experience so if I do ever need or want a job I’ll be able to get one easily.
I thought I’d just do the care work for a year or two but I’ve actually done it on and off for quite a while. There aren’t many jobs where people say thank you every time they see you and genuinely mean it. I find it hugely satisfying to leave someone freshly showered and ready for their day or all sorted for their evening and night.

Is check that's legal. You're not much above nmw as it is.

Yes thank u thats what I mean . And when ur next client is waiting for meds or tea or bed it gets very hard. Ive had clients just refuse to do anything cause they know only have 30 mins .

It's a very rewarding job. Long hours tho, I worked an average of 50-60hrs, 6 days a week in the community. The biggest complaint from people was the time, everybody wanted 7-8am in the morning but it just wasn't possible to do so and if I was running late (there was never time given to get from one person to another) they would often complain too.
Without fail, the office would call me on my only day off to make changes to the next week rota. Like others have said, stand firm on your availability because they may keep pushing to see how much you'd be willing to add to your part time hours
That all set aside, I loved it when there was time for a coffee with some and I could listen to their stories and especially their war stories, I'm honoured to have met those people
The constant driving about in all weathers does take a toll on your car too, I would definitely have found that job difficult if I had to get a bus everywhere.
Good luck in your new job tho

@LukeEvansWife

So you said you had no experience and they were okay with that? Sounds dodgy

It isn't. There is a massive shortage of care assistants, they couldn't possibly only take people with experience.

They can't charge you for leaving though, chancers!