Home Care Assistant

Also known as:

Care Assistant, Home

Introduction

Home care assistants work with people who, perhaps through illness, a physical or learning disability or a mental health problem, need support to cope within their own home. Depending on the client's needs and abilities, home care assistants enable their clients to do day-to-day tasks such as washing, getting dressed and preparing meals. They also provide social and emotional care.

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Work Activities

Home care assistants support the personal care of people who need help to cope within their own home. This may be because of illness, a physical disability or a problem related to old age.

The care assistant's aim is for the client to keep as much independence and quality of life as they can. As far as possible, this means that they enable people rather than just helping them, looking for ways to improve or maintain their self-sufficiency, and therefore helping clients to keep their dignity.

Care assistants may visit up to eight people a day, spending between forty-five minutes and an hour with each person. Some people need intensive help, so the care assistant will visit in the evening and at weekends, as well as for longer periods during the week.

Sometimes, a home care assistant will live with a client who needs round-the-clock care, for example, up to two weeks and then have time off before returning to live in.

Home care assistants help and enable a wide variety of people. They may visit elderly people who are frail or have Alzheimer's disease, people who are partially sighted or blind, have mental health problems or physical disabilities, or progressive illnesses. They may help single parents with disabilities to look after their children.

The level of personal care given by an assistant depends on the client's needs and ability. On a morning visit, the first task may be to help clients wash or bathe. Next, the assistant may help clients to dress, prepare breakfast and feed themselves. They take clients to and from the toilet whenever necessary.

During the day, care assistants do a number of tasks to make the client's life as comfortable as possible. They may clean and tidy the house, make and change beds and do the washing. On an evening visit, they may prepare a meal and help clients get undressed and go to bed. It is also a responsibility of home care assistants to remind clients to take their medication.

As well as helping with physical tasks, care assistants give emotional and social support to people who would otherwise feel lonely and isolated. Care assistants often develop trust and friendship with the people they look after. They listen and talk to clients, discuss their worries and concerns, and give reassurance.

Care assistants help people to keep in touch with family, friends and the community. They may do the client's shopping, collect benefits or pension money, or help them to pay bills.

Home care assistants play a vital role as the contact point between the social work department and the client. They must report back to the department on any changes in the client's mental or physical health, or other circumstances.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

As a home care assistant, you must like working with people, and have a caring nature. Patience, compassion, tact and a sense of humour are vital qualities, especially if you work with people who do not want to admit they need your help.

You must understand that each client has the right to keep as much independence and privacy as they can. You will need to treat each client as an individual, with different physical and emotional needs. Through patience, kindness and encouragement, you must be able to ease people's embarrassment when you help them with personal tasks like washing and using the toilet.

Because home care assistants often work on their own, you must be well motivated, and able to organise your case load.

Home care assistants should be aware of other cultures and ways of life. You must appreciate and respect the fact that you are working in someone's home.

You may need a clean driving licence, especially if your clients live far away from each other, for example, in rural areas.

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Pay and Opportunities

Pay rates for home care assistants vary.

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Home care assistants earn in the range of £12,500 - £15,500 a year, rising to around £16,000. Higher level home carers can make around £20,000 a year.

Care assistants usually work a basic 37.5-hour week. Shift work, early starts and late finishes are common. Some employers offer flexitime working, and part-time and temporary work is also possible.

Home care assistants work in clients' homes in the community. Employers are local authority social work departments and private care agencies. Some care assistants are self-employed.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Employers usually see relevant skills and abilities and a responsible approach as an advantage.

Modern Apprenticeships may be available in some areas.

Colleges will usually consider applications from candidates who do not meet their usual entry requirements. You should check the admissions policy of individual colleges.

• 1% of home care assistants are self-employed.
• 40% work part-time.
• 5% have flexible hours.
• 5% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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