If you want to make a real difference to people’s lives and empower them to live more independently, then becoming a care worker may be the right role for you. We discuss the roles and responsibilities of a care worker in a care home setting – so that you can find out more about what this role involves.
What does a care worker do in a care home?
A care worker or carer supports a person who needs help with daily tasks, enabling them to live their best life. A care worker can work in a care home with the elderly or people with learning disabilities.
Sometimes, they might need specialist training to be able to support patients with particular issues (MS or dementia, for example). A care worker may have to work irregular hours and shift work, which can include working nights and weekends.
What are the roles and responsibilities of a care worker in a residential home?
The main duties and responsibilities of a care worker include: providing personal care, such as showering, shaving, oral hygiene and dressing, administering medication, monitoring health and wellbeing, maintaining records and reporting any changes, assisting with meal preparation and household tasks, and providing emotional support and companionship.
Care workers and carers must also respect clients’ privacy, dignity, and individuality, and communicate effectively with clients, their families, and other healthcare professionals. It’s important for care workers to have the necessary training and qualifications, whilst following safeguarding procedures, as well as empathy and compassion, to provide high-quality care to those in need.
What do the daily responsibilities of a care worker include?
- Helping care home residents with their personal care which includes getting dressed, washing and eating
- Providing company: chatting and sharing news
- Involvement with writing residents’ care plans
- Providing information to family members regarding the care plan
- Ensuring that the resident’s needs and wishes are met
- Working with other health and social care professionals to provide holistic care
- Recording and reporting essential information in the residents’ daily reports accurately and immediately (communication systems, care and health monitoring, accident and incident reports)
- Administering medication under supervision (as detailed in their individual medication administration record)
- Gently encouraging residents to get involved with recreational activities and hobbies
- Giving feedback to health and social care professionals
What does the day-to-day role of a care worker consist of?
Your daily routine as a care worker in a residential home can vary from day to night. The general routines include:
The morning care responsibilities of a care worker
In the morning, the care home residents will be getting up for the day and you’ll be helping them to do this. This will involve helping them to get washed and dressed.
After getting dressed, some residents will need help and encouragement to make healthy choices at breakfast time (for example, if a doctor has said they need to eat more fibre) and they may need help to eat.
Many daily medications need to be taken with food at mealtimes, so you may be helping to administer the right medication to the right resident.
The afternoon responsibilities of a care worker
As the day progresses, your responsibilities still revolve around one central objective: to support the care home residents in all they do. This includes making sure that you keep on top of their toileting needs as well as caring for any specific needs, including any disabilities, ailments or illnesses.
You’ll be assisting those who need help with their mobility, and end-of-life care, as directed in their personal support plan. And you’ll be supporting them to eat their lunch if needed, along with administering any accompanying medications.
As a care worker, you’ll also be ensuring that residents in the care home have companionship if and when they want it, along with social, emotional and leisure support. This might involve listening to any concerns or worries they may have or gently encouraging them to join in an activity, a hobby, or some exercise (while also understanding they might prefer not to).
You might need to accompany them on outings, such as community visits and trips to the shops. And it will mean maintaining a friendly demeanour at all times as you chat with residents, making them laugh and ensuring they feel relaxed in their environment.
During the afternoon, a resident might also need help with some personal administration or they might need your support in contacting their family members or loved ones.
Throughout the day, you’ll also be responding to requests from both residents and staff.
The evening/nighttime responsibilities of a care worker
The evening in a care home will see you helping the residents eat their supper if required, and you must once again assess and administer medications with the evening meal. You’ll also have the opportunity to help the residents to take part in any evening activities, such as a film night or quiz. This will be followed by supporting the residents to wash and change into their nightwear before helping them into bed.
During the night shift, care workers will be responding to call bells and you may need to do some close observational duties (emptying a catheter or changing some sheets for example). Depending on the care home, you may be asked to help to maintain equipment overnight and make sure that everything is set up ready for the morning.
The admin responsibilities of a care worker in a residential home
Admin responsibilities are crucial for the safety and care of the residents. High-quality admin can also be used to improve and promote better care. And detailed note-taking will further serve to record the hard work that staff are undertaking.
Admin responsibilities can include:
- Attending staff meetings
- Filling in weekly timesheets
- Maintaining care records
- Recording medication administration
- Training sessions
- Monitoring any issues that are ongoing
- Recording any incidents (such as a complaint or a nosebleed)
Working as a care worker in a residential setting certainly requires you to keep on top of all your many responsibilities, but these responsibilities are ultimately a privilege to undertake because they’re helping someone to lead a comfortable life. The rewards that come with this work are unlimited and you’ll see how family members put their faith in you with their loved ones and the peace of mind it brings them to know you’re there.
What are the responsibilities of a care assistant in a residential home?
The role and duties of a care assistant in a residential care home involve providing personal care and assistance to residents, and this can include helping them with showing, dressing, and administering their medication. Care assistants also help with daily tasks such as meal preparation, ensuring residents’ safety, planning activities and managing care plans. Care assistants must be able to communicate effectively with residents and their families, as well as work collaboratively with other staff members. Compassion, empathy, and patience are essential qualities for care assistants working in residential homes, as they provide a vital role in improving the quality of life for the elderly and vulnerable.
If you’re looking for a job as a care worker, take a look at the current job vacancies at The Fremantle Trust. Whether you have experience working in a care home or not, if you want to put people at the heart of your job, become a volunteer or contact us today.