A day in the life of a Care Assistant
The role of care assistant is one of the most rewarding jobs and allows you to influence others’ quality of life. Duties include assisting those in need and helping individuals to be as independent as possible while respecting their dignity.
All employers have different ways of working and measures you must follow but training will always be provided. However, the same objective applies to all care providers which is to provide best possible to all individuals within their care.
Some employers will offer paid courses for you to enrol on to help gain qualifications and more experience.
Responsibilities of a Care Assistant
Depending on the time of day your shift falls the responsibilities may vary and who you might be looking after.
Morning Duties
Morning duties will involve supporting individuals to aid them in getting ready for the day ahead. This may include assisting them with personal care and getting dressed or encouraging them to do this independently.
Once ready, it is then time to prepare and help with breakfast. It is important to encourage the individual you are looking after to have breakfast and support them with other meal times throughout the day.
Depending on the individual’s needs, medication may need administering if this is part of your care assistant role. It is crucial to make sure that you concentrate and are confident to make sure the right medication and dosage is provided.
Afternoon Duties
Throughout the day, the individual’s you are caring for will need support with toileting and personal hygiene. Providing the residents with some company such as talking to them about their interests or watching television will help improve their moods. Offering regular food and drink is required to ensure the individual’s keep hydrated and get the correct nutrients for their diet.
Keeping on top of cleanliness within the home will be expected as this will provide a nice environment for the individual’s. Helping with housework and laundry will be part of your care assistant role.
You might assist individual’s on days out to do their personal shopping, tasks or visit family members. Keeping in contact with the individual’s family is important to keep them up to date about their wellbeing and general overview of their day.
Documentation of the individual’s day, medication and other needs will be expected to help keep track and identify any issues. This allows staff to assess how the day went and look where improvements may need to be made.
Evening and Night Time Duties
Helping prepare a meal for the individual’s and sitting down together will boost everyone’s mood. It is important to support individuals in winding down for the evening, assisting and encouraging them into their night wear and taking their medication will help do this.
Some individuals may want to have a wash or shower before getting to their nightwear and will often need support in doing this. All individuals have different preferences when they would like to go to bed but some may need encouragement as they might prefer the communal area.
Throughout the night, regular checks will be essential and toileting to ensure all individuals are safe and are assisted with their needs.
