Judith Spooner was taking a break from her job as a management accountant to help her siblings to care for their elderly mother when she came across an advert for Home Instead. “I looked at the website and loved the idea of helping people keep some independence and stay in their own home,” she says. “I spoke to my family and my mum said it was no different from what I was doing to help her and that I should go for it.”
But, like many people considering a role as a carer, Spooner wasn’t sure she would be suitable. “I had no experience and I was nervous about handling medication, but I was reassured by the initial training,” she says. Having detailed care plans also helped as they contained a lot of useful information about each client’s likes and dislikes.
Home Instead offers specialist training to its care professionals, which covers the delivery of regulated care, scam prevention, dementia care and end-of-life care. It also supports carers through professional qualification training such as NVQs.
For Spooner, a typical day starts when she arrives at her client’s home at 7.30am – the first of seven home visits. She checks their medication requirements before putting on the kettle and preparing breakfast. “I review the care plan before arrival but I like to double check if medication needs have changed and whether they are taken before, with or after food. Sometimes I administer medication or prompt a client,” she says. “Other clients don’t take medication or manage their own.”
After breakfast, she washes the dishes and puts them away. “While they’re eating there is usually time to pop out for a bit of shopping if needed or do some housework – make the bed, check the bathroom is clean and tidy, put some laundry on, or whizz the hoover round,” she says. “I’ll offer to prepare something for lunch if the client isn’t having a lunchtime visit, and I’ll sit down for a chat before it’s time to go for my next visit.”
The second client Spooner sees has limited mobility, so she supports her with getting up, washed and dressed. “We usually have a good laugh and chat as we go but it’s also a good opportunity to check her health and wellbeing so I can pass any concerns on to her family and the Home Instead office,” she says. “I’m not medically trained, but as we see our clients regularly we often pick up on subtle changes. It could be that they seem quieter than usual, confused when they are normally not, have a rash or bruises that weren’t there, or mention something unusual in passing that concerns us.”
Being a carer isn’t just about helping with domestic tasks or even delivering healthcare support – spending time with clients and building relationships is a vital part of the role.
Her third visit involves light housework, but companionship takes priority. “The client has a lung condition but they are still very independent and like to do as much as they can themselves,” Spooner says. “We like to get the jobs done first and then we can relax and have a cuppa and a chat.”
Among the many different tasks involved in being a carer, she particularly enjoys the social part of the role. “We get to know those we visit as people rather than just clients,” she says. “I regularly go out for lunch with one of my clients [as part of the visit] and another likes to go for a drive in the countryside for a change of scenery. It’s also helpful that we can accompany them to hospital visits or doctor’s appointments if they wish, which can relieve some of the stress and worry they feel.”
Spooner pops home for lunch before her next visit to a client with dementia. “They like to sit and have a chat when I get there, and if the weather is nice we’ll go for a walk or if they have been busy gardening we’ll sit in the garden and chat,” she says. “If the weather is not too good we’ll go through photo albums and scrapbooks and they’ll tell me about their life, family and holidays. Sometimes we’ll listen to music and they’ll tell me about going to dances when they were courting. Time always seems to fly on this visit and the hour is up before we know it.”
After a coffee break, she has two more home visits involving everything from cooking an evening meal to taking out the rubbish. Then it’s time to visit her last client of the day, who she helps to get ready for bed. “When I arrive, the first job is to make a cup of tea and some toast for supper, then administer medication and do a quick tidy-up, although there are a couple of visits every day for this client so the house is usually clean and tidy,” she says. “We’ll have a chat and a giggle while they’re eating and then, since they are unable to get to the bathroom upstairs, I help them to use the commode and then get ready for bed. Once they’re comfortable I make sure the house is secure before I head home and put my feet up.”
Home Instead care professionals set their availability to work around a regular weekly pattern or a couple of hours each week to suit their lifestyle and other commitments. The rate of pay for a carer varies from franchise to franchise and according to the services provided, but Home Instead offers a range of employee benefits including wellness support, counselling, discounts and financial resources.
It’s a fulfilling career choice. “My favourite thing about being a carer is the difference we make in people’s lives – it’s the smiles on my clients’ faces when I arrive and how grateful they are for the support that allows them to remain in their home,” she says.
“Some of my clients like to say that I’m the boss when I’m on a visit but I always tell them that it’s their home and they are in charge. At the end of the day we’re there to help them stay in their own home and maintain their independence as much as possible and I enjoy working with them to do things as they want,” she says. “From personal experience, I know how important it was for my mother to stay in her home, stick to her routine and do as much as she could herself. Being able to help others do the same is so rewarding and gives a huge amount of job satisfaction.”
If you’d like to help someone’s loved one remain in their home, offering much-needed care, find out how to become a Home Instead Care Professional at homeinstead.co.uk/recruitment
