What makes a good carer?
Our aim at Birchwood Care Services is simple: to enable our clients to enjoy living as fulfilling, independent lives as possible in their own homes, for as long as possible. Our philosophy is just as simple: we treat our clients how we would like to be treated.
So what do we look for when recruiting our carers?
Experience and qualifications are important, but so is personality. A good care worker, support worker or care assistant requires special caring skills – some of which can’t be learned or earned, but are naturally part of an individual’s personality. As well as being able to multi-task, think on their feet, be punctual, reliable and willing to learn, here are some of the other essential characteristics we believe make a great carer:
Kindness and empathy
We treat our clients with kindness, dignity and respect. A good carer should be able to connect with their elderly clients, to help them navigate their way through some often confusing and difficult challenges.
Respect
As an elderly person becomes frail and/or senile, it’s important to remember that they were once able to cope on their own and, despite losing their independence – and possibly their mental capacity – a good carer should respect and never patronise them.
Patience and being a good listener
Caring for elderly people can be frustrating at times; memory lapses become frequent, simple tasks take longer to complete and this can cause them to become irritable – sometimes even aggressive. A great carer needs to be patient enough to handle each situation that arises calmly, without getting flustered or resentful.
Going the extra mile
We don’t just follow the care plan; we take time to listen to our clients and meet their emotional, as well as their physical, needs. And we always remember that we are a guest in their home, and respect their property and their privacy.
Cheerful
Since many elderly people suffer with depression, a good carer should have a sunny, soothing disposition and be able to cheer up any patient, even an uncooperative one.
Birchwood’s carers are just one of the things that set us apart from other agencies. They are genuinely caring and interested in our clients, giving that little bit extra, day in, day out. You can learn more about a number of our fantastic carers here on the blog.
We understand the importance of finding the right carer for your loved one. How we look after our homecare clients is how we would like to be looked after ourselves, when the time comes. We carry out thorough recruitment processes, including checking police records and references, and provide a comprehensive induction programme, so that carers only start working alone when they are ready for it.
To arrange a no-obligation assessment for you or a relative, contact us on 01892863710 or email careservices@birchwoodhouse.org.uk
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