There are lots of different jobs within the care sector, from social workers to occupational therapists, and there’s no denying that all of these roles are intrinsically rewarding. When you want to make a real difference in people’s lives, this is one industry that’s worth exploring, and there’s a care sector job for everyone.
After seeing various charities and companies post about Carers Week back in June, have you been considering changing your career path? Here at Beloved Homecare, we’re always looking for caring and compassionate people to join our incredible team and support our clients in the local community. It’s a common misconception that you need to have experience in the care industry to become a healthcare assistant. Whether you’re currently a receptionist or a retail sales assistant, if you’ve been inspired to look into elderly care jobs, this post is for you.
Below, we have explored some of the many reasons why you should take a leap, apply for a private care job and join our team at Beloved Homecare.
Make a Difference to Clients’ Lives
Not all jobs are rewarding, and if your current role doesn’t provide a sense of achievement, being a carer couldn’t be more different. A care assistant is one of the very few job roles where you can directly impact someone’s life. You can help elderly people maintain their independence, and you will prevent them from having to move into residential care homes.
Every day, you will have such a huge impact on the lives of those you provide care to, and the support you offer your clients will enable them to continue living in the comfort of their own home. You will always finish your shifts knowing that your job has actually made a difference.
Wide Range of Core Duties
Unlike standard nine-to-five roles, working in home care offers variety. It’s unlikely that two days will ever be the same, and you definitely won’t get bored when you’re supporting your clients in the community. Some elderly individuals will require personal care services, while others will simply need some companionship care, and your working day will always go quickly, as you’ll be doing something different with every client.
Good Work-Life Balance
As you may expect, private care jobs don’t have traditional business hours. Elderly clients require support from morning to night, so it isn’t uncommon for care companies to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. At Beloved Homecare, we know that every client is different, and we offer overnight care services to those who need them.
This enables you to work at a convenient time that fits in with your own family responsibilities and commitments, whatever they may be. Whether you work morning shifts or evening shifts, you can ensure you’re able to balance your work life with your home life.
Competitive Wage and Perks
Many don’t realise just how financially rewarding care jobs can be too, and there are a number of misconceptions surrounding the perks of working in the care industry. When you choose to work for a reputable company, not only will you be paid higher than the National Living Wage, but you will also receive additional benefits year after year. You can expect to get: discretionary bonuses, full-paid holiday entitlement, company car allowance and much more.
Opportunities for Career Progression
As mentioned above, you don’t need to have experience to apply for elderly care jobs, and you will be provided with comprehensive training before you start working in the community by yourself. Regardless of what your current job is, starting a career in home care provides you with the opportunity to learn something new and develop your skill set.
There is also so much room for growth, and you will have the opportunity to undertake additional training. If becoming a senior carer is something that interests you, there will be a chance for you to develop your career over time.
Meet Lots of Interesting People
Becoming a carer allows you to meet some incredible people. Not only can you make friends with your colleagues, but you can also build cherished relationships with your clients. When providing social support, in particular, you will spend time chatting and reminiscing with clients and participating in their hobbies. You can guarantee you will learn so many amazing things from the people around you when you’re a carer.
Qualities All Healthcare Assistants Should Have
The benefits associated with home care are more widely known nowadays, and there is an increased demand for healthcare assistants. While a home care agency will provide all the training you need, there are some qualities that healthcare assistants need to have, and these are qualities that can’t be taught or learnt.
- Compassionate – Being compassionate is incredibly important when you’re a healthcare assistant and you need to be able to understand how your clients are feeling. To provide the highest quality of care, you should have a genuine concern for their health and well-being, and being compassionate will make you an all-around better carer.
- Friendly – When you’re a healthcare assistant, you will be a stranger to new clients and being friendly, approachable and warm will help you build a rapport with them. Your job will also involve companionship care, and when you’re a confident, chatty and cheerful person, you will find it much easier to provide the friendship that your clients need.
- Hard-working – Having a good work ethic is undeniably important, and providing excellent support and care in the community can be hard work. Being a driven individual who isn’t afraid of hard work will prevent you from falling at the first hurdle. Generally, being professional, punctual and motivated will be beneficial in this line of work.
- Respectful – Providing person-centred care to clients is a priority for many care agencies, and regardless of which care services are being provided, clients should be treated with the utmost respect. This is particularly important for personal care, and you need to be a respectful person to ensure you’re always providing support in a dignified manner.
- Patient – Whenever you’re working with elderly people, you shouldn’t rush them when they’re going about their daily routine. There are various situations throughout the working day that will require you to be patient and having the ability to handle any situation you may face both calmly and without becoming annoyed is crucial.
- Reliable – Many of the clients you care for will rely on you, and as their healthcare assistant, you will play a pivotal role in their lives. Therefore, you need to be a dependable person. Your clients need to know they can count on you to provide the care and support they require, and you won’t let them down when they need you most.
Important Skills Home Carers Need
As mentioned above, you don’t need to have previous experience in the care industry to apply for a home care job, but there are a few skills that will be beneficial to have. Whilst these skills can be taught and developed over time, when you already possess them, you will be in the best position to provide excellent home care services from the outset.
- Multi-tasking skills – Often, when working in the community, you will need to carry out a number of different tasks for your clients. The time you spend with them will be tailored to their specific needs, and it’s important that you complete everything required in the allocated time. To make sure every visit is a success, being able to multitask will come in handy and will help prevent any issues with client satisfaction.
- Communication skills – Not all of the clients you support will be able to communicate effectively, and it’s essential that you’re still able to connect with them. Being a good communicator will help you develop professional relationships with your clients and make sure all of their needs are being met. When you’re providing companionship care, in particular, being a good listener and showing interest in your client is essential.
- Organisational skills – All agencies will look for home care assistants who are organised. You will visit more than just one client during your shift, and being able to manage your time throughout the day is extremely important; otherwise, you risk running late to visits. When you’re organised, you will find working in the community much less stressful.
- Fast learner – You don’t need to have experience to apply for a care job, but you do need to be willing to learn. Home care agencies will provide comprehensive training to develop your knowledge and skills, and being a fast learner will help ensure you’re providing the best care possible to your clients. There are lots of training and development opportunities to consider when you’re a home care assistant too.
- Observation skills – In addition to providing a range of care services to your clients, you will be required to keep an eye on their general well-being and ensure they remain in good health. Being observant and picking up on any changes or signs of deterioration can help ensure your clients get the care they need. You should always be looking out for your clients’ physical and mental health.
Why Now is The Perfect Time to Become a Carer
Making big changes to your working life can be daunting, and it isn’t uncommon for people to stay in a job role that leaves them unsatisfied because they’re scared about taking a risk and trying something new. This is a real shame because enjoying your job can have a positive impact on all aspects of your life, and there’s a high chance that taking a risk will pay off as long as you’re passionate and hard-working.
If you have been thinking about becoming a carer for a while but you’re apprehensive about starting this new chapter in your career, now really is the perfect time to apply for a care job with a reliable agency and here’s why;
Families Understand the Benefits of Home Care
In recent years, more families have started to explore home care as an alternative to residential care homes. When their elderly relatives require additional support with day-to-day life, many are choosing to arrange home care services rather than moving them out of their familiar surroundings, and people are much more aware of the benefits associated with home care nowadays. This versatile type of care is undeniably one of the best options available.
As home care services become increasingly popular, there are so many brilliant opportunities within the care industry for compassionate individuals who are looking for a more rewarding job role. You won’t struggle to find an outstanding home care agency to work for, as many are recruiting to try and keep up with demand. So, you can start this new exciting chapter of your career with the support of a quality agency behind you.
Home Care Providers are More Flexible than Ever
To ensure they’re able to meet their clients’ ever-changing needs, home care agencies provide a vast range of services. Agencies work with their clients to create bespoke care plans, ensuring all of their individual needs are met, and these care plans will be re-evaluated and adapted over time. The flexibility of home care results in no two client visits being the same.
When you train to be a home carer, you will learn lots of new skills, enabling you to provide a variety of core services to clients in the community. This job role will be anything but boring, and you will never be clock-watching during your shifts. Since some care agencies provide around-the-clock services, the hours carers work are also flexible. Maintaining a good work-life balance is generally quite easy when you work for an accommodating agency.
No Experience is Needed to Become a Carer
You typically won’t need any previous experience in the care industry to work for a home care agency. So, whether you have a background in administration, retail or hospitality, for example, you shouldn’t let your lack of care experience put you off applying for a care job. Ultimately, as long as you have a kind and caring nature, you will have what it takes to become a carer.
Before you start working with clients independently, you will receive comprehensive training. This training often includes shadowing an experienced carer, and you can learn so much from them whilst they go about their daily duties. Even once you’re fully trained, ongoing support will be provided, and you will always have someone to turn to if you need assistance whilst you’re out in the community helping clients.
The Perks Of Private Care Jobs
Understandably, a rewarding job that doesn’t pay the bills is one that many can’t accept. However, private care jobs have several financial and other perks. When you choose the right home care agency, not only will you have the chance to improve the lives of people in the local community, but you can also improve your family’s lives too. Below, we have looked into some of the perks of private care jobs that many aren’t aware of.
- Competitive pay – Some home care agencies will pay their staff higher than the National Living Wage, and they recognise that being a care assistant is a demanding job role. More often than not, agencies also offer enhanced rates to reflect length of service, so there’s an opportunity to earn more over time. It’s a huge misconception that private care jobs only pay minimum wage, and some agencies provide very competitive pay.
- Discretionary annual bonuses – In addition to a basic wage, some agencies will provide annual bonuses, and they don’t let the hard work of their team go unnoticed. These agencies will ensure you’re rewarded for the exemplary service you have provided to clients over the year. Discretionary bonuses can differ from agency to agency, but many are keen to ensure their staff know just how much they appreciate them.
- Company car scheme – When you’re working in the community, you will need to drive between clients and not only will some care agencies pay for mileage, but they will offer company car schemes as well. Again, what’s available will differ depending on the agency, but many are aware that you will do a lot of driving, even though clients are put into rounds locally to reduce travel time.
- Pension scheme and holiday entitlement – The majority of care agencies will hire their care assistants, whether they’re full-time or part-time, and provide them with a pension scheme as well as paid holiday entitlement. This can make a huge difference to your life both now and in the future, and if you have ever been self-employed, you will know just how beneficial it is to have both of these perks.
Finding Elderly Care Jobs in Your Local Area
There are so many benefits to starting a new career in home care. If you would like to learn more about private care jobs and what they entail, feel free to explore the careers section of our website. You can also find out more about transitioning from your current role into a healthcare assistant role by reading Nicola’s story.
When you join the Beloved Homecare team, you will be welcomed with open arms. As a family-run business, we are passionate about ensuring all new members of staff are made to feel like part of the team. We also ensure that all care assistants are well looked after and rewarded for their hard work and dedication, and we offer several employee perks.
Get in touch today to find out more, and we look forward to supporting you as you start making a difference in your local community.