If you’re starting out in the world of work for the first time or thinking of a career change then have you thought about becoming a Care Worker? With no two days ever the same and a sense of really making a difference, this could be the job for you. If you want to make someone’s day and crave job satisfaction then providing care for those who need it, whether young or old, will provide this in bucket loads.
Job security is an advantage of Care work as there will always be a need for high quality carers in a variety of settings. You might be based in a hospital, old people’s home, homeless shelter or a youth centre for children with disabilities. With an ever increasing population of people over the age of 65, care in the home is a large sector of the care market. Encouraging and aiding people to remain in their own homes is important for their welfare and independence.
Health and Social Care is very large sector and there are a number of different career paths for people from all academic backgrounds. Most social care jobs will not require much previous experience and are usually taught by on-the-job training and the chance to work towards relevant qualifications. This means that there is scope for career progression and lifelong learning. Care is a vital action and not only improves the life of an individual but has a positive effect on the whole of society.
The types of qualities that you will need to thrive in a care role include the ability to get along well with and build relationships with many different patients and service users. You should be trustworthy, friendly, patient and have strong communication skills. Compassion is important but so is the ability to remain strong as the job can sometimes be emotionally tough.
Social care work involves working with the following service users, providing care for people with mobility problems, people with disabilities both mentally and physically, older people and dementia sufferers. Safety is key as these individuals are classed as vulnerable and as such anyone who works in this area will need a DBS Check. For more information, visit http://carecheck.co.uk/
Duties of a care worker are very varied and will depend very much on the needs of the individual service user. Comfort, well-being and dignity are the key aims of care-giving and so too is helping them to retain their independence as much as possible. Part of the working day might include assisting with getting washed and dressed, helping with eating and drinking, assisting mobility, toileting, medical checks and possibly taking the person to social activities. A social worker or care manager will have designed a care plan for the individual and this is what needs to be followed and recorded on a daily basis. Team working is an important part of the role as a person that needs round the clock care will have a team of carers assigned to them.