What Is A Home Carer?

What are the duties of a home carer?

The duties of a home carer can be anything from daily visits to check that an elderly customer is sage and well and prepare their lunch, all the way up to round-the-clock live-in care. Their duties consist of both practical and emotional support, with the ultimate aim of enabling their customer to thrive at home and live well with any health conditions they may have.

Home carers will usually support customers will some level of personal care; whether that’s assisting them to get washed and dressed every morning and providing continence care, or if it’s helping someone wash their hair every other day. But this isn’t always required for someone that needs home care. They may just need additional supporting getting out and about, completing light household duties and watering their plants – it is all dependent upon what the individual wants to achieve from their support plan.

As well as helping with the practicalities, carers are also there as a friendly face that you can rely upon and get to know. They’ll be happy to share a cup of tea with you whilst watching your favourite TV program. Our carers can even accompany you on holiday if your care needs mean that you need regular support whilst you’re away. Not only will they travel with you, but they’ll be there throughout your stay wherever you decide to go. So, if you choose to go with your family or by yourself, you’ll have the constant reassurance that there will be someone there to support you so that you can enjoy a proper break.

What conditions can home carers help with?

All of our carers receive thorough theoretical and practical training to equip them with the knowledge and understanding of a number of different health conditions that they may be required to support with.

Many of our customers live with a form of dementia, and regardless of the stage of the condition they are at and the type of dementia they are living with, our carers are trained and equipped to understand and support in the best way that they can. So, if your loved one has Alzheimer’s and gets easily confused with the time of day, a home carer can support them by understanding their routine and ensuring they have appropriately placed visual prompts to help them distinguish the time of day and make sure they feel comfortable and safe.

Our carers can also support those living with neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, multiple sclerosis, long-term conditions such as cancer, Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, diabetes and arthritis, as well as more complex conditions such as stroke aftercare, brain injuries and spinal cord injuries.

There are different levels of support that our home carers can assist with, starting with running errands and taking you to appointments, to visits throughout the day and sometimes overnight if you become anxious or need support turning over in your bed. We’ll also be there if you start palliative or end-of-life care; we’ll work with all professionals involved in your care plan, yourself and your family to ensure you feel comfortable and safe at home in your final weeks and days.

As well as physical support, we’ll be there if you struggle with your mental health too. So, if you just want someone to visit the local park with or share a slice of cake with at your local café – our carers will be more than happy to do this with you.

I have dealt with a number of care agencies in the past, but have never come across such an outstanding company as Helping Hands…The carers themselves went above and beyond the call of duty, on many occasions, and my Aunt could not have been happier in their company.

Read more here.

Alison, customer's niece in Exeter

What qualities do you look for in a home carer?

Here at Helping Hands, we look for two qualities above all others when searching for carers to join us: empathy and compassion. Regardless of previous care experience, we want to know that our carers truly do care about each and every one of their customers – whether they are a carer in the community or they are caring for a person day in and day out. We are extremely proud of the ethos within our care teams and this is because we only select those with these key qualities.

It’s impossible to teach compassion and empathy, but we can teach those who have never cared for anyone else before to become an exceptional Helping Hands carer. As well as going through rigorous background checks that includes a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) screening, all of our carers go through a comprehensive assessment process before they begin caring for our customers. Training modules include manual handling, dementia, medication, health & safety, first aid and safeguarding.

In addition to their initial assessments, carers undergo regular refresher training and opportunities to specialise in particular areas of interest and undertake advanced training.

Many of our customers describe their carers as friends or extended members of the family, bringing so much joy and support to their lives. Why not take a look for yourself? Speak to our friendly care specialist team today to find out more.