Is Care for me?

Have you ever wondered about working in care? Perhaps you’ve wondered what it involves or whether it would be a good fit for you? In our latest blog, we have tried to cover some of the main questions that people ask and give a balanced view of what it’s like to work as a carer.

The importance of the role that Care & Support Workers play in our society has certainly been highlighted over the last two years, as a result of the pandemic. Perhaps what the pandemic didn’t fully show was the daily reality of working in care – both the good and the not so good. Let’s face it, there are positives and negatives in every career but for so many years, the care profession has not received the respect that it deserves.

If you ask people ‘what is the most important thing in life’? many will answer ‘health and happiness’. That’s what our Heydays team ultimately help our clients to achieve and maintain, whether it’s helping people to enjoy a balanced diet, maintaining an active social life, or making little changes so that they can stay living in the place they love.

Our team of carers often tell us how rewarding their roles are and how making a difference to others gives them great job satisfaction and a sense of wellbeing. It’s certainly not an easy job and can be physically and emotionally draining at times, but it is also one of the most fulfilling jobs there is!

One of our Grange care team said, “The best part is making others feel good. We’re genuinely changing people’s lives for the better. It can be a simple as greeting a client with a smile, listening to them talk about their life or even taking them for an ice cream on a sunny day”.

If you’re looking for a job that gives you that feel-good factor and you enjoy being around people, care is a great place to start!

Skills and qualifications

Whilst you don’t need any specific experience or qualifications to apply for a job in care, by the end of a career in care you could leave extremely highly qualified (potentially leading to university) highly skilled and highly paid. We provide full training, starting from the very first day. You will be supported by our experienced, professional team to gain a Care Certificate initially, then work towards other qualifications according to your preferences.

Fitting a gender and age profile

Contrary to popular belief, care workers do not fit a certain demographic. Our care team is comprised of men and women, ranging in age from late teens to retirement age, who come from a wide range of backgrounds. The thing they all have in common is their character – our team are ‘people people’ – they enjoy being around others and have very caring natures.

What the role entails

It’s not all about providing personal care, nor is it all chit chats and cups of tea. It’s about caring for individuals and their wishes, so the role is very diverse. It might involve walking a client’s dog or accompanying clients on shopping visits one day, to assisting in physical rehabilitation and administering medication another day. Our carers are also trained to look after individuals with more specific needs such as dementia care and end of life care. At Heydays, we run monthly social lunch clubs and activity clubs which many of our carers enjoy participating and helping out with. Ultimately, providing care is about building relationships, gaining trust and understanding individuals. Working in care means you will laugh, cry and gain friends for life. You will hear the most amazing stories about people’s lives and have great fun along the way.

Pay

The care sector has a reputation for being a low paid and underpaid industry. Times are changing though and here at Heydays, we reward our staff financially for the role that they do. Our Care & Support workers start on a competitive hourly rate with plenty of other benefits to go alongside.

So, after reading this, we hope we may have answered some of your questions and importantly, whether you feel a job in care may be for you.

If you have any questions or would like to speak to a member of our team, get in touch via [email protected] or 01229 808023/ 015395 52548.