/14 December 2021

Considering a Job in the Care Home Industry?

This week our blog offers an insight into the job roles found within a care home.

Here at Alsicare, we consider ourselves experts in the care sector.  Our knowledge and understanding of job roles allow us to design care uniforms that can withstand the strains of any task.

Care home jobs are rewarding for people who want to make a difference to other people’s lives. In a nutshell they help and support the frail and elderly. The term used nowadays to describe this sort of job role is the provision of service user support.

 If the idea of making a real contribution to the daily experience of care home residents appeals then it’s likely you’d enjoy working in a care home. Many care homes have a family culture. Staff build-up strong relationships with other staff members and residents. You’ll be part of a team. These are not jobs for people who like their own space.

Qualifications and Experience

The public may think of care home jobs as easy. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The work can be physically and emotionally demanding. And while qualifications are required for some roles, they aren’t for others. It’s possible to work in the private or public sector, and in both cases the roles are similar. Experience counts for a lot, and it can be a question of working your way up. Some providers like to see an NVQ in Care. Alternatively they’ll want you to undertake an NVQ whilst working

What Do the Jobs Involve

Depending on the level you are working at jobs involve everything from providing personal care services to residents to the management of an entire care unit. Shifts can be long and require you to be at work when everyone else is on holiday.  Being able to build up a rapport with the elderly is obviously desirable. Patience is also a requirement for all hands-on roles and be caring even when people may not outwardly appreciate what you are doing for them. And of course, many people live in care homes until the end of their lives. So you’ll be looking after people when they aren’t well therefore the environment can be emotionally upsetting.

Range of Jobs

At the top of the pay scale a care home manager might earn about £40k outside London and be responsible for the day to day running of a care home. Senior carers can earn between £6.50 and £9 per/hour depending on experience. Senior carers may also take on quasi management roles such as over-seeing the running of a shift in the home, managing other carers on shift and ensuring service users’ needs are tended to.  Carers on night shifts may be able to earn more.

People interested in career progression often start out as support workers which has a clear line of advancement to management for those that want it.

There are also a range of infrastructure roles such as administrators, cooks and estate workers.

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