Carer advice: I am looking after a gentleman... - Care Community

Care Community

5,864 members2,350 posts

Carer advice

Nicolavarg profile image
10 Replies

I am looking after a gentleman but as he is a family friend I do not get paid apart from food and accomadtion I enjoy what I do but don’t have allot of experience other than seeing to his medication shopping cleaning cooking company and I want to do the same if not more and get paid how do I gain more experience I reside in Kirkcaldy Fife Scotland

Written by
Nicolavarg profile image
Nicolavarg
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
10 Replies
Vonnieruth profile image
Vonnieruth

You could apply to agency which deals with care within the home or you could apply to a care home All will give you NVQ level in social care level two You can in a care home also do level three after if you wish

ywiggan profile image
ywiggan

HI

Look at PA pool they offer jobs in the caring sector and its an fab site.

Wishing you all best on your journey.

Hi Nicolavarg,

A very warm welcome to this group and it's good to hear that you enjoy caring for someone. It's a really challenging thing to do, for anyone, so it sounds as if you have exactly the right sort of personality to consider this as your job choice.

It's really essential to get proper certification. Although it's still just possible to get jobs in Care Homes without it, and get accreditation on the job, it's not ideal, either for you, or for the people you care for.

It is possible to study online for a Full Care Certificate and it's very achievable, although of course there is a fee to do this.

If you 'Google' Care Certificate, you'll see lots of links pop up that you can explore for further information.

Very best wishes, and I hope you achieve your goal. Do come back and let us know how it all goes.

MylovedhasPd profile image
MylovedhasPd

Hi Nicola, what you do is truly amazing - food and accommodation in exchange for personal care and support is valuable. It is up to you to make sure that both of you feel the exchange is mutual, acceptable and positive. We are benefiting from a sitting service - it is staffed by women of all ages from our community. They are dedicated, serve with passion and are very interesting! They seem to attend courses at their regional education college, levels 1 to 5. I know from past experience that this is a super way to learn even though schooldays seem far away (bad/good) memory! No advice, just sharing.

Nicolavarg profile image
Nicolavarg in reply to MylovedhasPd

Thank you for advice

Nicolavarg profile image
Nicolavarg

Thank you all for all the advice I really appreciate it thanks I also relocated from South Africa recently so advice is so helpful

lKeith profile image
lKeith

Nicolavarg

Hi, seen your post, to get paid for your efforts you may have to contact your local Dept of Work & Pensions which may open a can of worms for you so be careful. Training maybe a local college but you will also likely need a police test (the name of which escapes me) but it clears you for working with children & I think vulnerable people. Initially you could try for information from your local Citizens Advice office. I would suggest you forget to mention accommodation just tell whomsover that you visit him each day. Depending on your income you may be entitled to "Carers" allowance or the person you care for maybe able to get for himself "Attendance" allowance which he could pay to you, not much but every little bit helps.

IKeith

MylovedhasPd profile image
MylovedhasPd in reply to lKeith

There are two levels of Attendance Allowance (or whatever it is called these days) for which the person living with pd applies for and the amount offered is based on how much physical help s/he needs to e.g. dress, wash etc. The carers allowance is what you could apply for and it requires that one be with the person living with pd 30 hours (I think!) a week. This latter isn't means tested. And I don't think the allowance is either - All this from memory, and to give encouragement... I find it helps psychologically to have recognition for your role/their need.

MylovedhasPd profile image
MylovedhasPd in reply to MylovedhasPd

healthunlocked.com/care-com... - don't be put off applying - it is a way of asking to be considered whether/what you and the person with pd are entitled to. Good luck!

Nicolavarg profile image
Nicolavarg

Thank you so much for advice really appreciate it

You may also like...

Carer in need of a little advice

Full time carer to my partner! Need advice and maybe a rant!

struggling to find the balance between being his carer and his girlfriend. It’s definitely put a...

Life as a carer - a poem

touch to share a poem she had written of her experience as a carer, it got us thinking about...

Who cares for the carers?

after having a Mini Stroke. I have claimed and am getting CA. My main problem is my own health is...

Annette carers allowance for myself.

As I have few medical conditions I was wondering if I could claim carers allowance for myself.that...