Where do carers stay and what hours are they expected to work?
What is expected when working as a live-in carer, during the assignment, the carer will move into a separate room in the client’s home which will become their personal and private space.
All carers at Country Cousins are self-employed, providing them with a great deal of flexibility in their working hours. The hours which our carers work will vary greatly dependent upon the needs of the individual and the assignment they are working on. But broadly speaking they are always ‘on the clock’. During their shift, they are entitled to a 2-hour break in the day which is chosen at a time to best suit the client and themselves.
Our day live-in carers are not required to work throughout the night, but they can be called twice if the individual needs extra support. If you would like full-time night support, we offer a night-time service.
What qualities make a great live-in carer?
As a live-in carer you are making the commitment to care and support another person to the best of your ability. The carer is not only to become a huge part of their client’s life, but their immediate family’s life too. Therefore, it’s of utmost priority that all our live-in carers retain the below qualities:
- Trustworthy
- Honest
- Nurturing
- Empathetic
- Ability to set your own feelings aside
- Experienced
- Observant
- Patient
- Respectful
- Interested in always furthering your skills to provide better care
What kind of clients can you expect to work for?
You may be called upon to provide Alzheimer’s or Dementia care and quite often you may need to work alongside other care agencies or medical professionals including Marie Curie, Macmillan, and district nurses. We also work to support those suffering or recovering from or living with chronic conditions, and disabled adults of any age. No two clients are ever the same, that is why it is very important for you to have the correct training and qualifications so you’re able to succeed in any assignment.
Potential challenges as a live-in carer?
On a personal level, you are likely to face both mental and physical challenges. You may feel tired from being on the go and needing to remain vigilant. You might feel isolated from family and friends as you remain at the house of your client, especially more so during the pandemic as mixing with others can put the client at great risk.
Live-in carers often develop strong professional relationships with their clients due to the nature of their job. Should the client’s health suddenly decline, it can be upsetting for the carer. As the carer, it is important to be able to separate your personal feelings from your professional duties.
Working with the elderly, especially those suffering with dementia, can pose many different challenges. The elderly can be slower both physically and mentally and as they progress through the diagnosis, they may struggle to hold fluent conversations. At times, the client may express themselves in an amplified manner i.e., excessive gesturing or speaking with a raised voice. This is not an act of aggression, but rather them becoming frustrated at not being able to find the words and communicate easily.
Is being a live-in carer rewarding?
As a live-in carer you will enrich the life of your client every day, and with your expert care you can help to improve their quality of life, making a real difference to them and their loved ones. You often form a strong bond with your client, witness first-hand the life of someone you might not otherwise have ever met, hear their life story, and learn from them. Becoming a live-in carer is one of the most rewarding jobs you can do, both for yourself and for your client.
As a Country Cousins carer, you will be joining one of the UK’s longest-serving live-in care agencies and over 1,200 other like-minded carers. We offer a great flexi-time schedule with highly competitive pay rates, great incentives, and rewards. Take a look at what vacancies we currently have available to apply for today.
