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What do domiciliary care workers do?

Domiciliary care in the United Kingdom

In life, it happens to all of us that with age, we are no longer able to do the things that we once did well before. These tasks may range from cooking and cleaning to toileting and getting dressed. It’s especially the case with elderly individuals. With the rising demand for elderly care at home, it’s no wonder that domiciliary care is on the rise, too. But if you’re unsure of what domiciliary care is and what such a worker does, then you’ve come to the right place.

What is domiciliary care?

Domiciliary care services are usually provided by a background-checked domiciliary care worker in the comfort of the client’s own home. These workers typically help with a variety of household tasks to ensure that all routines are maintained, that the client has peace of mind and that they face minimal disturbances and stressors in their day-to-day life. Although some may perceive domiciliary care as being only reserved for the elderly, it can, in fact, also be useful for people with learning disabilities, those with mental health problems, as well as people with sensory impairments or physical disabilities.

One arm of domiciliary care is live-in care, which involves the care worker physically living at the client’s home and providing 24/7 care as and when needed. Domiciliary care on the other hand, in its true sense, can be considered care that ranges from as little as 30 minutes to a couple of hours a day. The duration of the service will last for as long as it’s been agreed with the client. In addition, there is no one-size-fits-all approach with domiciliary care. Each individual is different and requires a unique and tailor made solution to meet their needs.

What does a domiciliary care worker do?

Now that we’ve gone over the basics of domiciliary care, let’s turn our attention to what is the role of a domiciliary care worker. Here is a short but not exhaustive list of the things that they can help with:

Support with daily household tasks: daily household tasks which have become burdensome for the elderly to take care of are now addressed by the domiciliary care worker. They can include cleaning and vacuuming, mopping and dusting, washing and laundry, grocery shopping, and more.

Provides personal care: with age, simple tasks like bathing, dressing and toileting can become more difficult. A domiciliary care worker, however, can help with all three of these aspects of personal care to maintain health and hygiene standards.

Doctor’s or hospital visits: a domiciliary care worker can also help with taking the client to doctor’s or hospital visits, as and when needed. These can be either regular check-ups in the ordinary course of things or they can be more detailed sessions with a health professional. In either case, the domiciliary care worker will ensure that the appointment is made and that their client arrives at the right place at the right time.

Activities to help maintain the client’s quality of life: but these aren’t all the tasks that such a worker can assist with. They can also help ensure that their client is mentally engaged with games, conversation and stimulating activities. It’s also possible to maintain a healthy social life with friends and loved ones at community or other venues. This is a great way of warding off loneliness and depression that can set in as one ages.

Benefits of domiciliary care

Domiciliary care is beneficial for a number of reasons. These include giving the client’s family more peace of mind that they and their needs are well taken care of. In addition, the client can enjoy time spent in the comfort of their own home and familiar surroundings.

In fact, research indicates that an ever growing number of people prefer to age at home instead of moving to a nursing or residential care facility where there may be many unfamiliar faces and which is likely to cause disruptions and unnecessary stress.

What qualities should a domiciliary care worker have?

Some of the domiciliary care worker skills that one should possess include strong, clear and effective communication. Basic literacy and numeracy skills would also be an advantage. Flexibility is a great character trait to have as well, in order to meet the needs of their clients better. It’s also important to be able to work well in a team and to be able to handle difficult situations with minimal supervision.

Furthermore, a domiciliary care worker should demonstrate that they can cope with basic life skills including cooking, cleaning, budgeting and shopping. Strong decision making is crucial as is the ability to adapt and innovate, as and when required. Finally, in some cases, a domiciliary care worker will be required to have a full driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Why to apply for a job in domiciliary care?

If you think that domiciliary care is right for you or your loved one, then you’ve come to the right place. We help to place qualified and caring workers into domiciliary care jobs so that the client’s needs are ultimately met in a unique, tailor-made approach exclusively designed for them. Our team is ready to help you with any questions you may have, so feel free to get in touch with us today!

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