Care work - Would you do it?

Little_Miss_Lexi

I'm curious really, I'm forever seeing care assistant jobs that offer free training and a step into a care career but don't see many people apply for them?

I know it's not the most glamorous job in the world but surely helping people and showing a bit of love to people who probably don't get much on a day to day basis counts for something?

What puts you off this type of job? I know the pay isn't the greatest but we're in a recession at the moment so surely jobs like these should be getting snapped up

foxy-roxy

I think, from my friend, who works in the care industry mainly doesn't like it because of the hours that you work, they can be very unsociable.
It is very hard work for not a great wage as well, i would do it, as i have worked in the care industry but with children and again that is pretty much the same, hard work, carp pay although the hours were ok, but i am rather spoilt in my office job now and don't think i would want to go back to working weekends and late nights.

shikoku

I think it's an indication of how bad it is that there are still so many 'care' jobs advertised even in the depths of a recession.

When I was unemployed my advisor's' eyes lit up like a vampires' when I mentioned that I had seen a lot of care jobs advertised (and very little else.)

'Are you interested in care work?' she enthused.

'Not in the slightest' I said 'I have two flat feet from doing standing up all day jobs in the past and I just can't do it any more ...'

Fortunately she moved on.

I too am now in an office and I intend to stay there.

angeltreats

A friend of mine does care work part-time to supplement her 'proper' income. She works with elderly people and absolutely loves it but it is very hard work, very badly paid, very antisocial hours and a lot of the time absolutely thankless.

I couldn't do it, I'm too squeamish. I can't even do the washing up because the food dirt makes me feel very squiffy, and have a horrendous phobia of vomit, so I don't think it's for me!

Kayl06

There's quite a high turnover in care work, people go into it not realising just how much work is actually involved and just can't cope with it.
It is a very difficult job to do and sometimes it just doesn't seem worth it when you're being paid so little. I get £6 an hour for washing, dressing, cooking, cleaning, doing activities, keeping a care plan up to date and more, its pathetic. The person i work with is great though so i'm really happy doing it, not very happy with the hours atm but its just something i've got to put up with.

But even if i was offered double money i would never want to work with the elderly, thats just something i could never do and i have no idea why. So i can understand why so many people are put off by it.

DCFC79

I have to say that care work isnt a job i would do, ive seen alot of caring jobs advertised in the local paper and its not something i would want to do,

bettybelle

I worked as a support worker with adults with learning disabilities for 4 years and ended up quitting as I nearly had a breakdown through sheer exhaustion. I was ill for months before I took an office job.

The shifts were madness, 24.5 hours long, you were supposed to sleep between 11pm-7am then get up and work for another few hours. However, there were buzzers in your room and the clients kept you up all night. I was doing at least 3 of these shifts a week, often back to back plus trying to study for an entrance to nursing course in between. Sometimes I would go 12 days without a day off! They got around this by saying the new working week started on a Sunday plus the 24.5 shifts only counted as 16.5 hrs cos you were 'sleeping' for 8 hours!
Plus they tried to get us to sign a waiver saying we could work over 48 hours a week but no one did.There was no support from management whatsoever. You did everything for the clients even though it was supposed to be 'supported' living and there was a lot of frustration.

The only reason I stuck in so long is I liked the clients and the people I worked with. But in the end I was so badly burnt out at the age of 24 that I packed it in.

Sometimes I think about going back to that work cos I ended up abandoning my nursing dreams as well but I just remember how physically and mentally exhausted I was and I soon forget that idea.

sammyjammy

To me its a vocation. I couldn't do it.

The biggest problem now is that its all privatised to companies that want to make big profits from it, the poor care workers have impossible schedules which mean they barely have a chance to make the caree a cup of tea no matter have a chat and a cup of tea with them.

If we treated care workers right by paying them the relevant pay for the job and give them more time for social care with the sick and elderly then it wouldn't be such a last chance of a job for people.

Certainly when I worked in the Jobcentre it was "care and cleaning" jobs together, says it all really.

98sidney

I have worked in the care work ever since I was 15 and Love it.
The hours I use to varied, and before I had kids my 6 hour shift could turn into a 12 hour shift or on one occasion a 18hour shift, due to staff not turning up.
Care work for the first time would say, start in a rest home then work onto a nursing home.
Working on a hospital ward is a totally different world.
I also prefer to work nights rather then days.
The only problem with working in care is the people you work with, if they are making it clear they do not really care about the patients the shifts can be hard work..

Also be prepared to give up your xmas, new year and holidays like that, but then again if you work with the right people this can be nice.
One year I was working xmas eve 2-8, then xmas day so I made 24 small stockings and filled it with small bits and we gave each patient one on xmas day, their faces in the morning was lovely and it helped to make the place a more cheerful place to spend your xmas..

Also try different areas of care as you may not be able to cope with the elderly, but could look after a person with mental health problems.
I personally find it hard to look after sick kids as I get too attached..

SueC_2

Care work - Would you do it?

I think it's a case of 'could' rather than 'would'. As someone else has said, care work is surely a vocation not a job. I have absolute and utter respect for those who do it, and think their payscales need serious review. But, no, I'm ashamed to say that, personally, no, I don't have what it takes to do it myself.

Tigerlilley1980

I love care work and have done it for many years. I have since trained to be a nurse, but it is a very rewarding job, the money can be naff mind you, but I always felt happy when I left work because I knew I had helped people xx