Purpose of role

To support customers with all aspects of their day to day living, so they can enjoy the best possible quality of life. Providing live in care and support is both a challenging and rewarding experience. You will stay in the customer’s home, usually working alone. There will be pre-arranged breaks during periods when the customer does not need your services.

Key responsibilities

To provide safe, reliable, compassionate care and support that is centred on the individual needs and wishes of each customer. Each person is unique. You must respect each customers’ choice about how their care and support is given and promote their dignity at all times. You will build positive relationships with the customer, their family and other health and social care professionals. As you will be staying in the customer’s home, you will follow their house rules and be mindful of their need for privacy.

You may be the only person the customer sees over a period of time, it is therefore essential to report any changes or causes for concern to your line manager promptly. You need to be clear about when to seek help and advice in order to keep customers safe and promote their well-being.

Duties

Care and support

Give non-discriminatory care and support that values the whole person rather than merely seeing a list of care needs. Carefully listen and observe how each customer prefers their care and support to be delivered on a day to day basis. Help them make their own decisions so they can be as independent as possible.

Follow instructions in the care and support plan that has been agreed with each customer. This may include:

• All aspects of personal care
• Showering and bathing
• Dressing and grooming
• Toileting and continence care
• Teeth and dentures

• Taking medicines
• Encouraging, reminding; assisting and giving medicines
• Ordering and collecting prescriptions
• Returning unwanted medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal

• Eating and drinking
• Helping the customer to plan what to eat and drink
• Gentle encouragement and help to eat and drink well
• Shopping, preparing and serving food and drinks
• Clearing the table, washing up and keeping the kitchen area clean and tidy
• Agreeing with the customer how to store food safely and dispose of out of date produce

• Safely using aids and personal equipment in a manner that respects the dignity of customers. For example
• Standing and walking frames
• Wheelchairs, manual and electric hoists
• Sliding sheets and moving boards
• Hearing aids and other physical aids

• Housework
• Washing floors, vacuuming and sweeping
• Laundry and ironing, making beds and changing the linen
• Dusting and general tidying

• Social and physical activities or mental stimulation such as
• Answering the door and greeting visitors
• Answering emergency bells and the telephone
• Writing cards and letters or emails
• Taking a customer out shopping, to see their friends or to other activities
• Hobbies and recreations such as reading, photo albums, games etc.

• Supporting a customer through temporary and terminal illness, including
• End of life care
• Hospital appointments
• Liaising with community health support and families

Recording and reporting

• Record and report all relevant customer information including
• The care and support that you provide and assistance with medicines
• Changes to a customer’s condition or other concerns
• Faulty equipment or hazards in the home
• Response to emergencies, accidents and incidents
• Safeguarding matters
• Contact with families or care workers and other professionals
• Other matters as required by Bluebird Care procedures

• Keep all information about customers and their families secure and confidential

Work well with the Bluebird Care team

• Follow Bluebird Care policies, procedures and guidance at all times
• Take part in staff and customer meetings
• Attend training activities, supervision and appraisal meetings

This list is not exhaustive and you may be asked to carry out additional duties. We will provide full training in line with regulatory requirements.