Care Work
Care workers can provide support to adults of all ages in a care home or in the community. Care workers who work in the community are sometimes called domiciliary carers, which often involves travelling to different people’s houses.
The people you support could include adults with learning disabilities, physical impairments, dementia and mental health problems and disorders. You support people to:
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remain independent in their own homes
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live in residential or nursing care homes
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be part of their community.
Work can include personal care (washing, bathing and dressing), mobility, assisting with domestic jobs in the home and mealtimes, getting people involved in social and physical activities, helping people access services in their community or liaising with a care home resident’s family.
A care worker needs to be able to listen, empathise and communicate well. They also need common sense, resilience, patience and flexibility. There are some specific skills needed to work in this role. These include:
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the ability to work on your own initiative and prioritise your workload
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the ability to understand and follow policies and procedures
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being able to write a clear care plan