10/10/2016
Everyone who becomes a carer does it for their own personal reasons. It’s not the easiest job in the world and also not everyone is suited to it. I am sure every carer has his or her own reason, but I’ve looked at just five here which you may be able to relate to.
1. Flexibility
If the idea of a 9 - 5 job horrifies you, and set hours and days fill you with dread, then this type of job would suit you. While you are tied to the routine of your client for any period of time you choose to work for, you also have the flexibility of choosing how long you work for and how much time off you have between jobs. After your four weeks (or other) is over, you get to go home and relax – no set hours or times then! Most companies are flexible in booking you the schedule you want, whatever it may be. The truth in this is that there are many, many clients and carers will more than likely find work to suit their requirements.
2. Qualifications
Unlike many other jobs, this job actually does not require any training before you apply for it. All the training you need will be given to you by the company you work for. In essence you just need to fill their criteria of a certain character and temperament. Other than the legalities of work, you do not need to have anything further for this job. So, people returning to work after many years of bringing up the children can actually get a decent job once the kids have left home (or sooner if they want)
3. Variety
Variety is certainly the spice of life in this job! You may be lucky and return to one client many times, but on the whole when you start caring, you will be sent to many different clients, in many different places. You will find yourself travelling all over the UK to places you may never have heard of before! Every client has different needs and routines and you will possibly never do the same thing twice!
4. Job Satisfaction
We all know how good it feels to do the job well. That’s what job satisfaction is all about. In this career you will hopefully feel that every time you walk out of the door at the end of your term, you’ve done the job as best you could. That’s what caring is all about, doing the job – and doing it well. Whether it entails getting your client to the hospital and back again, or making sure all the medication is delivered on time, this is one job where you will find job satisfaction.
5. Rewarding
This is probably one of the most rewarding jobs you will find! After a long night of getting up and down, when your client smiles at you and says thank you, you will feel so rewarded for your troubles. The reward does not come in money or physical things but from a smile or a touch of the hand by a client who has dementia and has finally come to trust you. Very simple things like this will be a reward that you will carry with you for a very long time.
Conclusion
Not every client is ‘a little treasure’. Sometimes it will seem like they are sent to try you. Some days will seem to be never ending and other days you will feel like packing your bags and walking away. You may find this job difficult, sometimes frustrating, often very stressful. One thing you will never find this job is boring!
