Articles

What makes an ideal live in carer?

04/08/2016

By nature a live in carer will be someone who is caring and understanding, who likes to help people, maybe even someone who wants to give back to the community. When you apply for the job of live in carer you will be asked what examples you can give to validate these points of character. The role of live in carer varies with each and every client but some things are needed wherever you go. These are the ability to remain professional t ll times, to be patient and a good listener. Carers must be willing to learn and have a positive attitude. Generally they should be people you would be happy to be around.

A full time live in carer works seven days a week. Legally she must have two hours off a day or a total of fourteen hours off per week. This will depend on the client and the situations at each placement. A placement may be anything from a week to three months, again depending on the client's requirements. The company policy may also be that they change carers after a period of time to give them a break. Because you would be living away from home for prolonged periods of time, it is essential that you feel comfortable with doing this and have a good infrastructure in place to handle this factor. As a live in carer you will be on call 24 hours a day and this is something you must accept.

Assisting clients with mobility issues such as needing to use hoists will be one of the things you might have to do. Added to this there will more than likely be the need to administer medication and monitor the health of your client. This goes hand in hand with companionship and moral support. With this role there are also the normal daily routines such as housework, doing laundry and shopping, ordering and collecting medications and generally running a home with another person there needing to be taken care of. Dedication to this role is therefore very important, as is putting the needs of the client first. There will be times when morale is very low and you will be hard pressed to stay positive, particularly when the end of life is approaching. A good carer will motivate and support the client at all times, try not to be judgemental and encourage good health where possible. 

First of all a live in carer will need to complete all application forms, whether it is done online, or in an office. A good grasp of the English language is therefore need ,along with good cooking skills. For all live in care work a valid UK work permit is need and a UK or EU passport. Further education such as an NVQ 2 & 3 are worthwhile but not essential as some companies prefer in house training. After your initial interview, with documents checked and references confirmed, you will be required to do induction training. Again this varies from agency to agency but can be up to two weeks. Once this is complete and you have met their standards you will normally be offered a placement. This may happen right away or take a week or two. You will have a chance to review the offer before accepting.