Are you considering becoming a home carer?
Perhaps you’re unsure what your clients will want? You’re a little nervous about the level of care you’ll be expected to provide? You have cared for family members in the past but you’re not sure if you will be able to care for people you don’t know? You might be wondering how your new job as a home carer will fit in with your lifestyle as a parent of school going children?
What your clients will want from you:
Every client has different needs and they will also alter on an individual basis over time too but each client is likely to want the following:
- Someone who is naturally caring. This may sound obvious but to be a good carer, you must enjoy spending time with people, caring for their needs and wishing to make them happy.
- Someone who smiles. Remember the expression – “Smile and the world smiles with you. Cry and you cry alone”. Smile and make your client happy too.
- Someone who makes them feel comfortable. Remember that your client may have been living independently for many years and may feel nervous or uncomfortable having help with their personal care. They need a carer who helps them to feel comfortable with this change in their lives.
- A good conversationalist. You may be their main link to the outside world if they aren’t getting out much so be prepared to chat about the local news as well as the national and international news.
- A good listener – We all love listening to stories and many of us love telling stories too, stories of bygone days, of times past.
- Someone who wants to make a difference. You can make a difference to so many lives.
The beauty of caring as a career is that it can be flexible. If you can work for four hours a day, we should be able to fill those hours. If you would like to increase your hours to work full-time as your children become more independent, that should be possible too. You may be considering nursing or occupational therapy as a career – working as a carer may be the stepping stone to convince you that you are on the right path.
If you would like to apply to work as a home carer for Comfort Keepers, check out our vacancies page for posts in your county.
