Meet some of our Carers....and find out why they chose to care.

   Meet Chris Hudson............ Hourly Carer.

I’m your typical bloke, cheery, like going out, enjoy sport and socialising. I was a baker for 25 years.

A delivery driver, worked in warehouses.. also done other various jobs over the years.

I was looking for a part time job to get some extra cash, when I saw the advert in the Stratford Midweek. I thought I could do that. It was something different and I applied and got the job.

I thought it would involve looking after mainly older people but I’ve found you can help anyone of all ages. I went in with an open mind and I always remember on the training course thinking… what have I let myself in for! But found I took to it very quickly.

I was then made redundant from my full time job and with a little persuading from the Care Managers, I decided to go full-time. Believe it or not I’ve now been doing it for 4 years!

My family and friends think it is a very worthwhile job. I have lots of patience and it suits my personality. I really enjoy meeting the Service users, getting to know them and talking to them about their lives… and making them smile.

 Meet Mandy Baylis..... Hourly Carer 

What did you do prior to working at Helping Hands? 

I worked as a part-time cleaner whilst the children were at school.

How long have you been working for Helping Hands?

Just over 17 years!

How did you find about the job at Helping Hands? 

I was doing some cleaning for the founder of Helping Hands ‘Mary Lee’. She asked me if I would like to help out with some Carer calls. Which I did and I’ve been caring ever since!

What made you choose Care as a job?

I didn’t really choose caring. I was asked to help out. However I looked after my mum who had cancer and later died. So I know what caring was all about. I’ve always enjoyed helping others, so it seemed like the job for me.

What were your perceptions of Care before you became a Carer? 

When my mum was ill, I had never heard of carers coming into the home to help. It was just left to the families.

What do your friends and Family think of you as a carer? 

They feel I’m putting  something back into the community and how it’s a worthwhile job and very rewarding.

What is the best thing (s) you like about your job? 

I like helping people who need looking after, to help them stay in their own homes and to see their smile on their faces when you turn up in the morning. They may not see anyone else all day. So you really feel like your making a difference and you become friends.

What would you say to other people considering Care work?

I would recommend anyone to become a carer. You get so much out of it – helping others who rely on you. We make a big difference to them. It makes you feel good knowing that you have helped them.. It really is the best job… 

About you..

I’ve been caring for nearly 18 years. It’s a good job. I’ve never thought about being anything else. It’s rewarding, makes you feel good and I’ve met amazing people and heard a lifetime of stories. I feel privileged in being a carer.

 Meet Sam Wilkinson.... Hourly Carer.

What did you do prior to working at Helping Hands? 

I was a manager at McDonalds Oakenshaw.

How long have you been working at Helping Hands?

 I have been working for Helping Hands since July 2010

How did you find about the job at Helping Hands? 

 My friend worked for a different company but recommended Helping Hands.

 What made you choose Care as a job?

I felt I would enjoy it, and I would be good as a carer.

 What were your perceptions of Care before you became a Carer? 

 My perceptions were very different to what the job entails. When I was first told about it i thought 'no i couldn't do that' but talking to people who did it and when i started my training and shadowing i realised that it is very different to what i thought it would have been like.

What do your friends and Family think of you as a carer? 

 My friends and family think that it is great that i am a carer and tell me not a lot of people could do what i do.

What is the best thing (s) you like about your job? 

At first I was looking forward to meeting the people I would be caring for, now i love going into peoples houses and knowing that they are glad to see me and that i can help them with everyday tasks and what they would like me to do.

What would you say to other people considering Care work? 

Go for it, its great and you really get to know the people you care for.

Tell me a little about youself.....

My hobbies are my horse, swimming and socialising with friends.

Meet Anna Monkton....... Hourly Carer.

                                        Life begins at 44!

What a difference 12 months can make: This time last year I was working from home on my own, feeling frustrated and a bit miserable, now here I am doing a job I love.

I knew I had to do something different but with no vocational training just hadn’t a clue what. After months of getting nowhere it was my husband who gently persuaded me to fill in the on-line application to train as an hourly carer with Helping Hands.

Having only previously worked in an office, I still wasn’t sure if I ‘had what it takes’ or how I would cope with caring duties…isn’t care all about commodes and cleaning?

During the introductory training I found it was really motivating to learn new skills and meet other novices to care like me. The next stage was to watch and learn from experienced carers: I seriously wondered at this point if I would ever be as competent, confident and calm as they all seemed to be.

Out on my own was terrifying at first but with plenty of support and encouragement I quickly began to get to grips with it all and more than that started to enjoy it!

To say that caring is a rewarding, fulfilling job sounds trite but I have honestly found it to be just that. I’ve learned that care is so much more than commodes and cleaning: it’s an opportunity on a daily basis to meet interesting and stimulating people and to, even in a small way, make the lives of people in our community a bit better and brighter.

Meet Daniella Ciapparelli............. Live in Carer

 Where are you from ?

South Africa, Johannesburg

 What did you do prior to working at Helping Hands? 

I was a Machine Operator installing security systems. 

 How did you find about the job at Helping Hands? 

My sister works for you!

What made you choose Care as a job?

I wanted to work with people.

What were your perceptions of Care before you became a Carer? 

In South Africa, we don’t have Carers, so I didn’t know anything about Care or Carers. I was very nervous about being in someone elses home.

What do your friends and Family think of you as a carer? 

Well they never heard of a job as a ‘Carer’. I worked with the South African Disabled team, who hadn’t a clue what it was. When I explained – they all loved the idea of a ‘Carer’.

What is the best thing (s) you like about your job? 

The history of the service users. I’ve heard so many amazing stories. I’ve also like the travelling and visiting different parts of the UK and the friendliness.

What would you say to other people considering Care work? 

Try it… you never know what you might like unless you try it!

Tell me about yourself and your interests.

I love knitting and baking. I also love Snowboarding especially in Switzerland!

Meet Tim Davey.............. Live in Carer

 Before I got into care, I studied travel and tourism at college, I then worked as a frozen department head in a supermarket, where I had worked since school. I also worked in a few bars at the same time and also full time afterwards.

At that time of my life I was living in Devon with my Dad and my Gran was in a nursing home with dementia. Myself and my family visited every day. Whilst visiting her, I struck up a really good relationship with the home manager and also some of the other service users. My Gran passed away roughly six months later and I was encouraged to take a job there.

The manager (Chaz) is an amazing woman and was my mentor really and was my inspiration for getting into care as well as some of the amazing service users I met. I am still in touch with her today and she is very proud of where I have got to. I have since undertaken all sorts of qualifications including NVQ's 2 and 3 in health and social care.

 I worked my way up to a link nurse at a different nursing home in Northamptonshire and worked there for four and a half years. I have worked in the care profession for around seven years now and I still love my job. Every day is different, no two days are the same. I am able to create strong friendships and positive relationships with the people I help care for. There are not many (if any) jobs in the world that can give you such feelings of satisfaction but as far as i am concerned this is one of them.
With some commitment and good training I feel I am able to make a positive to peoples lives and have a good knowledge of my job and the care profession as a whole.

I first found helping hands on the internet through google search engine as I was looking for a new challenge in my profession. I did some reading up about them and what they do, the services they provide and instantly loved the sound of it.

I am now a live in carer for helping hands and have been with the company for 7 months. I currently really enjoy my role. I fully intend to try and undertake more training and i hope to work towards being a Care manager. Helping hands provided a fantastic week long training course prior to carers starting with the company. I have undertaken alot of training in the past but I was very impressed with the high level of the training and organization of that week.
When I first started in care, my friends were very surprised as I didn't fit into the stereotypical view or image as a care worker, also because of the very different jobs I did in the past. But at the same time they were very supportive as we have a great close knit group of friends.

The things I love in life is football and going to the gym. I have just come back from South Africa after going out there to watch the world cup. (Which is another good part of being a live in care worker). I was able to book 5 weeks off together and go out there and enjoy it, which would be almost impossible in any other type of job. However, the job does require a lot of commitment and the ability to work away from home for long periods of time which right now suits me down to the ground.

I love travelling and actually prior to joining helping hands I went travelling for 6 months. Three of which I spent in Tenerife ( what can I say I couldn’t leave the sun, sand and sea!) but now I get to travel around England in this job, which is also interesting in its own way.

If you are thinking of becoming a carer, getting into the care profession and/or joining helping hands. I implore you to do so. If you have a caring nature and have empathy, if you want to undertake excellent training and embark on a challenging but rewarding career and work for a company where your input is encouraged and are appreciated then join helping hands and become a carer.