Live-in care job or Live-in care work is for someone who provides 24 hour home care to clients with a variety of needs and requirements. We work with clients with physical and mental disabilities, the elderly, clients who may have suffered a stroke, and those who are suffering from conditions like Dementia, Parkinson’s’, Huntingdon’s, Multiple Sclerosis, or terminal illnesses such as cancer or heart failure.
As someone who lives as a carer you will be expected to support people with all aspects of their daily living and provide specialised care should the need arise. Tasks to be undertaken might include shopping, cooking, cleaning, general household tasks, making sure the client is able to get up and dress, and attending to their toileting and personal care needs.
You will also be able to help them attend community and social activities so that they are encouraged to keep their hobbies and interests kindled.
For a role like this, it is essential that you have previous nursing or caring experience. You must be eligible to work in the UK and have no need for a work permit to do so. You must also have accommodation to stay in for the periods in which you are either on leave or not working. For roles such as this, a great deal of flexibility is required and there may be a need at times for you to take on short-term contracts as well as longer placements.
Anyone wanting to undertake the role of a carer must be able to provide references and be willing to undergo a DBS/CRB check to ensure their suitability for the role. Training is essential as is the regular updating of core skills.
Live-in caretakers’ working hours:
Live-in caretakers are expected to work between 8 and 10 hours each day but are available 24 hours a day if necessary. The 8 to 10 hours refers to their expected time to spend doing their primary care responsibilities.
The day is designed around your service user and their requirements on a given day, with no fixed rules or timelines.
In most circumstances, live-in caretakers are given a set number of off-duty hours each week. This normally amounts to roughly 14 hours per week, divided between two hours off-duty each day. If the user is unable to be alone for this time, caregiver breaks can be scheduled during a time when family members are visiting.
Due to the long hours that live-in carers are available to assist service users, Safehands allocate two or three live-in carers to each client. They will normally work in a rotating pattern.
For example, one caregiver may stay with a service user for a month and then take a two-week break. During this time, another caregiver will take over.