A Day In The Life Of A Carer

Carers are a huge part of our front-line team of amazing individuals working day in, day out to provide care to those who need it most. Not everyone is cut out for it and therefore, we need to take the time to appreciate those who dedicate their lives to helping others.

Claire Wisher, a Kare Plus consultant, was a carer for years, helping those who need it most. She has kindly written this piece about what a day is like in the life of a carer.

Being a Care Assistant is more than just a job, it means being part of a whole new family, it is about making a real and positive difference to our resident’s lives, every single day!

Giving your best smile, from morning to evening, and being positive, even when you’re having a hard day; this is the life of a carer.

As you’d expect, there’s always all the normal day-to-day things such as bathing/showering, dressing, assisting with feeding, toileting, medication/applying creams, answering call bells, assisting with moving and repositioning, but the most important things to me are:

• A good handover – So I know if there are any changes or specific needs for each person.
• Listening to people - Explaining things clearly, avoids any confusion or mistakes.
• Documenting everything - To protect everyone, both yourself and the resident/s.

Every resident is an individual with different needs and wishes, we need to make sure we offer choices and respect everyone as well as maintaining their privacy and dignity. There isn’t a ‘one size fits all’, the care that is provided varies depending on the person.

Engagement is so important; just taking the time to have a chat or do activities with them! If you can hit it off with them, even just back and forth humour, it can have a massively positive impact on your relationship with them.

Making sure their home is kept tidy and safe gives residents a positive environment to live in. It may be your working environment, but it is their home. Nobody likes a messy house, ensuring to keep it tidy is important in making their life as easy as possible.

It’s also important to take the time to listen to their families too, emotional support is needed by them as well! It can be an incredibly tough decision to put a loved one into care, making the transition as seamless as possible is not only important for your relationship with the resident, but their family too! Being approachable and friendly is important for the family to see.

Being a carer is an incredibly rewarding experience! It is not always the easiest job to undertake but seeing the positive impact you have on the resident, and their family, seeing the person you care for smile, that is what it’s all about.

If being a carer sounds like a rewarding prospect to you, why not be the shining light in someone’s life? Care starts with a difference, care starts with you!