To be tired of care work because of how badly I am treated?

[Lillimae32]

Treated badly by the company, not the service users. I like the people I support and I like caring for them but I am burning out. One of the people I’ve supported for over ten years is dying (degenerative disease), and it’s really hard and sad. This person has become very unsteady on their feet and we’ve been asked to walk behind them on the stairs and gently place our hand on the person’s back to support them. It normally wouldn’t be a problem but this person has become so unsteady that they are liable to fall. If they fall down the stairs they will most likely fall onto the person behind them and I’m frightened of getting inured.

We’re not entitled to basic worker rights so no minimum rest period or breaks, and often finish late and start very early which is exhausting. But not as exhausting as working a shift, ‘sleeping over’ then working another shift back to back. I was informed today that I am now required to work until eleven at night, sleep over at the service, and come back onto duty at seven until half two in the afternoon . It used to be the case that we would finish at 9.30, sleep over and start at half seven, and I am really going the miss the extra two hours sleep and worried about driving back home.

I’m good at what I do but I feel like I’m burning out. And bosses wonder why they can’t get the staff, nevermind retain the ones they have..

Also if I was to get injured at work because I’d been placed in a potentially dangerous situation and needed to take time off I would not get paid. I may get SSP if eligible but the company wouldn’t pay.

The stairs situation is very unsafe for the client and the staff and needs to be reported to the relevant authorities, the sleepovers do happen and in care work the 11hr rest doesnt always apply. I would look for another job.

@BlanketsBanned
It’s such a shame as I’ve been working with some of these people for over ten years so we have a good relationship and I feel I’m able to support them very well. I just wish the sector treated us better and allowed us basic rights as other workers.

There's a thread today which I posted on about care homes treating their residents as though it's a prison. I wrote quite a bit on it. I briefly worked in this field and all I can say it was the worst job I ever had and if i were you I would look at any opportunity to leave.

The client who is unsteady on their feet needs to have an assessment from a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist to assess rheir walking, steadiness and asvise the xompany what to do to make sure they are safe and minimise falls. Some care companies are very good, so are the nhs.

I wouldn't want to risk getting injured at work, if the person fell backwards down stairs into you then both of you could be badly hurt.

Are there any better options than your current agency? Locally I have seen some people working as independent carers e.g. paid directly by their clients, no agency involved.

It's sad if you leave caring, but I wouldn't continue with those working practices if I had other options.

That situation on the stairs is untenable, and there is no way an OT or physio would sign off on that. Whose suggestion was it?

I really sympathise about how you are treated by the company. We have wonderful people caring for my relative who are making an enormous difference in terms of quality of life and dignity, but we too worry that they will leave because of the way they are treated by the company.

It’s not a solution, but I imagine you would have grounds for constructive dismissal if you leave on health and safety grounds.

YANBU last year my niece left care after over 10 years. The pandemic finished her off, the way staff were treated, the way residents were treated, relying on agency staff. She loved the work but the conditions are terrible. So little respect for staff and residents.

Complaints and the CQC made no difference.

She now cleans for slightly more money per hour, no more 12 hour shifts, less responsibility. She has had the odd comment about cleaning other peoples loos and she reminds them it is nothing compared to the work a care worker does.

She was burnt out for minimum wage. She visits residents now on a voluntary basis and advocates for them when needed.

Owners only care about profit.

We need people like you who do genuinely care!

in returned YOU need to be cared about & paid properly and not have your health/safety put at risk.

I'm not sure how best to get this situation sorted out, but it definitely needs to be.

GOOD care staff are hard to get & retain so I'd hate to encourage you to change careers, but at the same time YOU are important & have to put yourself first!!

it would be very sad for the people you've looked after for a long time if you left, but devastating for you if you end up injured or burnt out due to dreadful management.

best wishes & thank you 💐

Could you join a union?

YADNBU.

One day, in a parallel universe, people who look after other people will be properly recompensed and appreciated.

Can't see any sign of it happening in our world, though, not with the utter numpties we've currently got in charge. And that goes for most care home owners/companies too. (Other half is a nurse. Mostly she endures it, every now and then she comes across a company/home that is decent and gives a monkey's about their staff and not the big fat profits that allow the owners to live on the English Riviera in summer and Greece in winter.)

Your first responsibility is to yourself.

@Lillimae32 all of the above pp are totally right.

Look after yourself and get out of care. There is a whole world of work to choose from and be treated and paid properly within. You owe it to yourself and you family to put yourself first.

Nothing, absolutely nothing is going to change in the world of care, until they literally cannot get a single person to work.

The management /homes /agencies that actually proactively look after their staff are hard to find - a bit like rocking horse poo.

I’m a carer in a quite nice private company. We are treated well, we do do overnight stays and work the next day too. It’s exhausting. But we only do one on, one off.
we are paid £11.57 an hour, get travel expenses, and paid double for bank holidays.
but what really gets me is they charge £29 an hour to the client. Even allowing for office staff pay etc he’s pulling a tidy profit …..on every hour……and we have a waiting list for clients.
We are so short staffed it’s ridiculous.

@RossPoldarksWife unfortunately your post contradicts itself, you are treat well but are exhausted and so short staffed it is ridiculous

That is not treat well. I think you may be comparing your job to other carers and sadly that's a pretty low bar.

You need to call the clients GP surgery and put an urgent referral in for an OT visit, the stairs situation is not safe for either you or the client. Every time you’ve reported this or you do in future to the office insist it is noted in their client logs and you note it on the client logs and you make some kind of email too so it can be traced so that if, god forbid anything happens you can cover yourself.

As for the hours, I’m not sure that’s entirely legal and you should call ACAS asap for advise, this is dangerous for you and again the client.

Please please look after yourself, because if the shit were to hit the fan, the company would soon throw you to the wolves. After working in care for a long time, I saw it enough and finally got out when I saw it starting to affect client care, and it became all about the office. More and more pressure on us for profit. It almost broke me, to the point, I was having panic attacks and couldn’t get out of the car. I only stayed as long as I did for my clients. Please don’t burn yourself out for a company that would replace you in a heartbeat. Take care OP.

How about working privately? Then you can set your own terms. You sound lovely and very dedicated, I’m sure you’d be in great demand.

YANBU.

I used to work in care and would never return to it. It isn't an option for me due to my health but even if it was, I wouldn't return. I loved most of my clients and they loved me but too much is asked of carers now and conditions and treatment by management is generally poor. It can take such a toll on the body too.

It is a pity because it can be such a rewarding job and most clients are great but it can be all consuming. I find that more and more is being demanded of carers. Some clients' needs are so extensive and complex that it's more like a borderline nursing job and yet they aren't paid anymore than those who are caring for clients who just need a meal made, meds prompted and assistance to shower.

Also, I don't know if it's just my area but it seems as though they're being asked to deal with more and more clients with pretty severe mental health issues whose behaviour is way past challenging. A friend gets assaulted pretty much every day. Another was a strangled, but luckily another member of staff intervened in time. Another extreme example, but a family friend's daughter in Australia was almost stabbed to death by a client. Thankfully the majority of clients aren't a risk but I think due to cuts in mental health provision and other cuts, clients, carers and families are being let down by people being put into community placements that aren't suitable for them and can't meet their needs.

No amount of money is worth having that happen to you let alone the pitiful pay that most carers receive imo.