What is working as a Care Assistant like?

[FourArms]

I have just got a job interview for a Care Assistants role in a care home specialising in care for people with dementia.

Any tips for the interview? Thoughts on what the job might be like? Anything? TIA.

ssd, speak to other relatives if you can.
ask about staff turnover, speak to all the staff not just the nurses. ask if you can speak to the cook etc and go in the kitchen
lots of luck

did HCA work as student.many pro and con

PRO- you will form relationship with clients and gradually build an understanding and depth

you can make a difference to quality of life by providing good care

chance to do focussed activity eg reminiscence,music

CONS
physically demanding.
lots of transfers,self care,
lots of mundane repetitive tasks

thanks np

ssd -ask about staff numbers. The amount of poorly staffed places that expect the night staff to get people up at 5 am that weren't put to bed until nearly midnight is appalling.

ggirl- that is exactly the sort of thing that was happening at the first care home I worked at when I was younger. Disgusting!

so do the residents get put to bed and get woken up?

what if they can do that themselves?

We got several resident sup very early, however none of them were got up unless they had in their care plan that they usually got up at that time.

Having said that though if we didn't have a certain number up by the time the morning staff came on duty they usually had something to say.

We even got into trouble one morning because we hadn't got one particular resident up. Had got up at about 5.30 all his life. And we did usually get him up, although eh protested wildy - however given his dementia he protested wildly at everything (either that or was busy gropng your breasts and trying to drag you into bed with him ) and would have done so regardless of what time of day he was washed (doublly incontinent too) and dressed.

However on this particular night he had be brouht back from hospital at 2am, except the clocks changed that night so it was in effect 3am.

The girl and I who were on decided that despite his "normal" routine of getting up and "reading" a paper in the dining room and drinking tea we would leave him in bed. Seemed grossly unfair to be getting someone up at that time who had been awake until 3am.

Anyhow, we got moaned at because he wasn't up .

Those that could get themselves up got themselves up at whatever time (often after a little reminder of time courtesy of the morning teas which were taken round after the night staff had gone home).

The private nursing home I worked in, the residents could not do many things for themselves so Yes, they were put to bed and got up. But, there were not enough staff to ratio of residents (in my eyes) and it was very conveyer belt care. I usually had to get 3/4 people up starting from half 8 and sometimes was still rushing to get the last person up at 11:30am.
But, this was about 9 years ago now and I hope that care homes have changed in this time.
At the college I work at now, we start getting the guys up at about 7am and they are all up and ready to go by 9am. The care is excellent, everybody is treated with respect, maintaining or regaining independence is the priority.

Got the job

Wish me luck

Well done fourarms!

Good luck when do you start?

Thanks. Not entirely sure. I think they have to do the CRB checks etc first. Having slight second thoughts at the moment, as the shifts that I have been allocated include a Friday night shift and a Saturday/Sunday overnight shift. That is going to effectively going to end my weekends, especially since I've got another job on a Saturday morning. I think since I'm not really doing it for the money, but more for a bit of 'something different' in my life, this is a bit much. It's obviously not fair for me to start if I don't think it's right for me, so I might have to say no to the job.

Totally unfair of them to give you weekend night shifts.
I they really want staff you should say that you are unwilling to do every weekend.
Do they know you have other job commitment?

I think they need staff, but have had lots of applications. It's a really nice place - one of the best in the area, so I don't expect they were short of choice for applicants.

In fairness to them, they don't know about the other job, but that isn't 100% definite yet anyway.

Have had a chat with my mum, and agreed that I'll say no. Might say I'd like to do bank work if they offer that, but I can't commit to permanent working of those shifts.