There are many types of care available. They cover all ages and in many different settings, from domiciliary care to nursing homes and end-of-life care. Within these types of care, there are a number of different roles. Let’s look at three of these.
1. Care assistants
Care assistants support service users with a number of tasks, including personal care, meal prep, housework, medication, and mobility. They often work in the user’s home, helping them to remain living there, while others work in care homes and sheltered accommodation.
Qualifications are not usually needed to be a care assistant, as on-the-job training is provided. If this is a career that interests you, an internet search term such as ‘care assistant jobs Cork’ will produce results such as https://www.caremark.ie/job-opportunities/care-assistant-jobs-cork/.
2. Complex care workers
Complex care workers provide much of the same support as care assistants but with the addition of providing support for service users with additional needs, which could mean supporting them with things such as PEG-feeding, seizure management, and ventilation. Training for this is provided by medical professionals.
3. Support workers
Support workers support vulnerable people, helping them to lead happy, fulfilling lives as independently as possible. There are different types of support workers, such as children’s support workers and clinical support workers.
Depending on the needs of the service user, they may help with everyday tasks, support employment, encourage hobbies and interests, support with life skills like budgeting, and liaise with professionals. Their work is varied and may take place in the home, a care home, or a day centre.