Going professional
Carers Week aims to highlight the work of unpaid carers and the challenges they face. But running alongside that is the field of professional care.
The main challenge of care provision, says Clare Janik, MD of care agency Corinium Care, is ‘getting the message across that live-in care is both an exceptional and an affordable option for elderly people who can no longer manage alone but want to maintain their independence in their own home’.
Perceptions are changing, suggests Paul Tarsey, MD of Bluebird Care, a franchise operation with over 160 offices offering tailored home care from 15 minutes a day to full live-in support. ‘The public once believed that the state would provide care from cradle to grave,’ he says. ‘But now it’s only a safety net. People are coming round to the idea that they will have to buy their own care.’
Dominique Kent, director of operations for the Good Care Group, agrees. ‘There have been significant changes in care-buying in recent years. The economic climate is making people more cautious and less confident about their investments. So they are holding on for longer, often waiting for a crisis.’ In her experience, daughters do the research and make the decisions, while sons get involved when it comes to finance.
When the Good Care Group began delivering care three years ago, the expectation was, according to Kent, that their main provision would be companionship. ‘But the problems we are dealing with are now more complex,’ she says. ‘We were always specialists in dementia, and now it represents 75% of our portfolio.’ As a result, the group is appointing a specialist Admiral Nurse to help support their dementia work. Traditionally, Admiral Nurses have been employed by host organisations such as NHS trusts or charities like Dementia UK. Ian Weatherhead, an Admiral Nurse since 2006, welcomes the new partnership with a paid care provider. ‘Families need specialist information, guidance and support on dementia,’ he tells me. ‘Admiral Nurses are not live-in carers but give assessments and will organise a package of care with a provider like the Good Care Group.’
Because of the complexities of caring for elderly dementia sufferers, the Good Care Group believes that the best professional model is to employ and train all their carers themselves. ‘All employees have shares in the group,’ Kent says, ‘and we give every carer the induction programme regardless of their experience.’
Jenny Brightman has worked for the group for two-and-a-half years. Formerly a social worker, she wanted to work with dementia patients and was impressed by the professionalism and passion she identified at the Good Care Group. ‘Live-in care works well with dementia,’ she says. ‘You build up good feelings throughout the day, and give contentment – it’s difficult to do that with hourly care. I’ve been with my current client for 18 months, working two weeks on, two weeks off. The challenge is to tailor care to the individual and to recognise different family dynamics.’
Matching carers to clients is a bit like a dating agency, says Lin Barnes, director of Christies Care, the UK’s largest family-owned business providing 24/7 live-in care. Basic information on prospective clients is taken in a preliminary phone call, after which a local area adviser will visit to work out a care plan and select the right carer. If someone is taken on at a moment’s notice in an emergency, the local area adviser will visit the client’s home within the first few days.
Christies delivers 25,000 weeks of care annually, and has around 800 trained care assistants available at any time. Regular relationships are built up with clients with a rota, for instance, of three carers, each working three weeks on, three weeks off. Many are from overseas, so Christies makes special efforts to support its carers, arranging for them to stay between placements in their accommodation block in Suffolk. ‘There’s an internet café,’ explains Barnes, ‘and they can spend time with like-minded people and have a bit of TLC. I’ve got great admiration for our carers.’
Carers need a good set of skills, Anne concludes. ‘You have to be steely, self-sufficient, adaptable, able to think outside the square, calm and level-headed. You face difficult situations sometimes, particularly with terminally ill clients.’
Few of us could aspire to such a portfolio of abilities. Small wonder, then, that Dominique Kent believes that the caring profession is still undervalued. ‘Carers need to be emotionally astute, highly intelligent, quick-thinking, resilient and grafters – caring is hard both physically and emotionally.’
DIRECTGOV The government website that provides information on social care and financial provision, both from central government and local authorities: www.direct.gov.uk
AGE UK Aims to improve later life for everyone: 0800-169 6565 (advice line), www.ageuk.org.uk
BLUEBIRD CARE Franchise operation providing a range of home care: 01730-260026, www.bluebirdcare.co.uk
CARE UK Independent provider of health and social care, working with local authorities, PCTs (primary care trusts) and SHAs (strategic health authorities): 0333-321 8305, www.careuk.com
CARERES TRUST A charity formed by the merger of Crossroads Care and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in April 2012. It works to support those living with the long-term challenges of caring unpaid for family members or friends: 0844-800 4361, www.carers.org
The main challenge of care provision, says Clare Janik, MD of care agency Corinium Care, is ‘getting the message across that live-in care is both an exceptional and an affordable option for elderly people who can no longer manage alone but want to maintain their independence in their own home’.
Perceptions are changing, suggests Paul Tarsey, MD of Bluebird Care, a franchise operation with over 160 offices offering tailored home care from 15 minutes a day to full live-in support. ‘The public once believed that the state would provide care from cradle to grave,’ he says. ‘But now it’s only a safety net. People are coming round to the idea that they will have to buy their own care.’
Dominique Kent, director of operations for the Good Care Group, agrees. ‘There have been significant changes in care-buying in recent years. The economic climate is making people more cautious and less confident about their investments. So they are holding on for longer, often waiting for a crisis.’ In her experience, daughters do the research and make the decisions, while sons get involved when it comes to finance.
When the Good Care Group began delivering care three years ago, the expectation was, according to Kent, that their main provision would be companionship. ‘But the problems we are dealing with are now more complex,’ she says. ‘We were always specialists in dementia, and now it represents 75% of our portfolio.’ As a result, the group is appointing a specialist Admiral Nurse to help support their dementia work. Traditionally, Admiral Nurses have been employed by host organisations such as NHS trusts or charities like Dementia UK. Ian Weatherhead, an Admiral Nurse since 2006, welcomes the new partnership with a paid care provider. ‘Families need specialist information, guidance and support on dementia,’ he tells me. ‘Admiral Nurses are not live-in carers but give assessments and will organise a package of care with a provider like the Good Care Group.’
Because of the complexities of caring for elderly dementia sufferers, the Good Care Group believes that the best professional model is to employ and train all their carers themselves. ‘All employees have shares in the group,’ Kent says, ‘and we give every carer the induction programme regardless of their experience.’
Jenny Brightman has worked for the group for two-and-a-half years. Formerly a social worker, she wanted to work with dementia patients and was impressed by the professionalism and passion she identified at the Good Care Group. ‘Live-in care works well with dementia,’ she says. ‘You build up good feelings throughout the day, and give contentment – it’s difficult to do that with hourly care. I’ve been with my current client for 18 months, working two weeks on, two weeks off. The challenge is to tailor care to the individual and to recognise different family dynamics.’
PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
Jane Smith has been working for Bluebird Care since September 2012, preferring to be fully employed by them rather than work for an agency. ‘Bluebird give good support. If I’m not sure about something, I can phone them – they’re on call up to 10pm.’ She stresses the importance of patience and understanding when working with the elderly. ‘You mustn’t take away their independence,’ she says. ‘You mustn’t rush them, but ask “Would you like me to assist?” rather than just taking over.’Matching carers to clients is a bit like a dating agency, says Lin Barnes, director of Christies Care, the UK’s largest family-owned business providing 24/7 live-in care. Basic information on prospective clients is taken in a preliminary phone call, after which a local area adviser will visit to work out a care plan and select the right carer. If someone is taken on at a moment’s notice in an emergency, the local area adviser will visit the client’s home within the first few days.
Christies delivers 25,000 weeks of care annually, and has around 800 trained care assistants available at any time. Regular relationships are built up with clients with a rota, for instance, of three carers, each working three weeks on, three weeks off. Many are from overseas, so Christies makes special efforts to support its carers, arranging for them to stay between placements in their accommodation block in Suffolk. ‘There’s an internet café,’ explains Barnes, ‘and they can spend time with like-minded people and have a bit of TLC. I’ve got great admiration for our carers.’
PORT FOLIO OF SKILLS
Some overseas carers prefer the flexibility of working for an agency such as Corinium Care. Anne Sutherland had sold a business in Sydney and was intent on embarking on what she describes as ‘my overseas adventure at 50’ when her mother became ill. The experience of looking after her mother in her final days gave Anne the confidence to come to the UK to work particularly in palliative care. ‘I knew the journey, having done it with my mum,’ she confides. ‘I was with her when she died, and it was beautiful, not scary. I’ve faced the worst, so I’m not fearful and that can be reassuring for clients.’ Her work pattern has tended to be four weeks on, one week off, the latter enabling her to travel round the UK.Carers need a good set of skills, Anne concludes. ‘You have to be steely, self-sufficient, adaptable, able to think outside the square, calm and level-headed. You face difficult situations sometimes, particularly with terminally ill clients.’
Few of us could aspire to such a portfolio of abilities. Small wonder, then, that Dominique Kent believes that the caring profession is still undervalued. ‘Carers need to be emotionally astute, highly intelligent, quick-thinking, resilient and grafters – caring is hard both physically and emotionally.’
Care contacts
CARERS WEEK 2013 (10 to 16 June) Promotes the work of 6.5 million unpaid carers in the UK. Participating charities have been Age UK, Carers Trust, Carers UK, Independent Age, Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, MS Society, Parkinson’s UK and the Stroke Association. For details go to www.carersweek.orgDIRECTGOV The government website that provides information on social care and financial provision, both from central government and local authorities: www.direct.gov.uk
AGE UK Aims to improve later life for everyone: 0800-169 6565 (advice line), www.ageuk.org.uk
BLUEBIRD CARE Franchise operation providing a range of home care: 01730-260026, www.bluebirdcare.co.uk
CARE UK Independent provider of health and social care, working with local authorities, PCTs (primary care trusts) and SHAs (strategic health authorities): 0333-321 8305, www.careuk.com
CARERES TRUST A charity formed by the merger of Crossroads Care and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers in April 2012. It works to support those living with the long-term challenges of caring unpaid for family members or friends: 0844-800 4361, www.carers.org