One Hour of Care - Care Workers

• August 07, 2023

Care workers hold a vital role in a person's support plan as they visit our customers each day. This support plan can include assisting with personal care, incontinence care, meal preparation, medication administering, light domestic duties and shopping calls. But that isn't all a care worker does. They must also be personable, compassionate and understanding towards each individual they meet. In some cases, a care worker may be the only person a customer sees and speaks to in a day, the conversation held between both individuals can often be as important as the physical support provided.

Sometimes it can be perceived that a care worker is there to do things for a person, however, it is so important for our colleagues to encourage customers to achieve their outcomes and the tasks they can do themselves. One way of achieving this coul dbe to be patient and give the person time, encouragement and support to help with or do something themselves, for example, meal preparation, brushing the side of their hair they can reach, or even to wash independently but be near enough if they need assistance. As the common phrase goes, 'if you don't use it, you'll lose it' and we want to support our customers to live as independently as possible, for as long as possible.

Care workers need to have the confidence to liaise with appropriate industry professionals, both internally and externaly across the health and social care industry, about a person's support plan and to also communicate with a customer's relatives or next of kin. Supporting someone through end of life care can also come hand in hand with supporting their loved ones through the process, being compassionate to both the customer and their relatives and friends to help the individual have a good, dignified and comfortable death.

Our colleagues are experts in their field and hold a lot of responsibility upon their shoulders; supporting with medication, safeguarding each person and looking out for their wellbeing, bothe mentally and physically. It is important for care workers to be vigilant at each and every visit in order to assess if there are any concerns and to report and escalate these where necessary. Updating accurate, person centred notes at the end of every visit is also very important in order for other colleagues to see changes in a person's condition or mood, and to again, escalate these to the office or other healthcare colleagues where necessary.

It takes an incredible person to be a care worker; someone who is kind, caring, compassionate, honest and truly wants to make a difference to the lives of others. Though it can be a tough role, they see the fulfilment and career satisfaction from supporting someone and seeing the difference they have made in each and every day.

Without care workers would be no support delivered!

It's clear to see how a care worker contributes to every hour of care First City provide. Stay tuned for our next post, exploring what a care coordinator contributes...

--- One Hour of Care ---

There's more to providing a person's support package than you may know!

| Care Workers | Coordinators | S.H.A.P.E | HR & Recruitment | Brokerage | Training |

| Accounts | Reception | Senior Leadership Team |