Day in the life of a live-in carer

Being a carer is an occupation that’s often not fully understood, but most of us will need their services at some point in our lives. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to be a live-in carer for Good Care Group.

Being a carer is an occupation that’s often not fully understood, but most of us will need their services at some point in our lives. Our live-in carers face a unique set of challenges, but also are key to bringing about genuine improvements in elderly people’s quality of life, which is immensely rewarding.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to be a live-in carer for Good Care Group:

What makes a good live-in carer?

Live-in carers are a special type of person: selfless, practical and empathetic. Here are just some of the traits that successful carers naturally share:

Carers are both self-motivated, and motivated by improving the lives of others. They enjoy spending quality time with older people: talking with them, listening to stories or cherished records, working to really understand them as people and reinforce their sense of self.

They recognise how fundamental care in the home environment can be to ensuring independence and familiarity, which in turn helps the people they care for by reducing feelings of loneliness and even alleviating symptoms of some chronic medical conditions, such as dementia.

We employ all of our highly-trained carers directly to ensure that they meet rigorous standards.

What type of person does a live-in carer work with?

Our live-in carers work with a whole variety of people in different environments across the country. The unifying factor is that all clients need support and companionship.

Carers work with individuals and couples, both in cities and the countryside. Many of our clients have some level of dementia, while most others are frail and in need of support with physical activities around the house.

Typical activities in the day of a live-in carer

The daily activities of our live-in carers can be split into two categories: practical assistance and personal interaction.

Our carers become a companion for your loved ones, engaging in conversation, reminiscence and almost any activity that they enjoy. This not only gives our clients a sense of familiarity, it also prevents them from feeling isolated, which helps to prevent the onset of loneliness or depression.

They also help with practical activities, such as:

• Mobility
• Medication
• Cooking
• Cleaning
• Laundry
• Shopping
• Bathing

Depending on the needs of a client, our live-in carers may have down time at various points throughout the day, or for a number of hours in the evening. This helps them to re-charge and be ready for anything tomorrow might bring.

What are the highs and lows?

Being a professional live-in carer doesn’t come without its fair share of challenges to be overcome. They need to be patient, understanding and compassionate, even in trying conditions.

Challenges

• For some, working away from friends and family
• Learning to make the most of down time
• Ensuring any dementia-related needs are met
• Delivering consistent physical assistance
• Dealing with the emotional aspect of caring for a vulnerable person

However, there’s always someone to call on for help and advice. And the reward of knowing that they’ve improved a person’s quality of life far outweighs any challenges.

Rewards

• Making a quantifiable improvement to the health and happiness of the client
• Finding a personal sense of achievement and adding meaning to their own life
• Helping to ensure independence and dignity
• Conversing with people who have led fascinating lives
• Enabling clients to stay in their own homes
• Rigorous professional training and development – ongoing during employment to ensure carers remain at the forefront of care knowledge

Becoming a live-in carer is an interesting and highly rewarding process. We seek to be transparent with our methods to assure total peace of mind for families. If you want to find out more about our live-in care services, contact the friendly team at Good Care Group today.