Flexibility of the hours offered by Caremark

After taking time out to start a family, Rachel Davies felt ready to return to work. Thanks to the flexibility of the hours offered by Caremark Doncaster, she’s been able to do that.

And whilst home care support might be a new career, she’s found the people skills she learned in her varied professional life as a midwife, in banking and in retail transfer well.

“After 18 months at home I really wanted to get back into work. I began to wonder if there was a job out there that I could fit around childcare and my husband’s shifts as a long-distance lorry driver,” said Rachel.

“I attended a careers fair and when I spoke with Caremark Doncaster they were brilliant. They just said ‘fine, we can work your hours round that’ and they have.”

Patience, compassion and a willingness to think outside the box

After five months in the job Rachel, 32, believes the key qualities needed are patience, compassion and a willingness to think outside the box.

“My previous careers have all been people focussed and so is care work” said Rachel.

“There’s an element of conflict resolution, not in the sense of arguing but of helping people, perhaps with dementia or mobility issues, whose condition causes frustration and confusion.”

Personal preference is so important

That problem solving can include what might seem minor issues to some but are extremely important to a customer.

Rachel tells of one man who couldn’t do his own shopping and wanted a certain type of bleach. He couldn’t remember where it came from and wasn’t happy with what was being bought for him.

Rachel took a photo of an empty bottle of his preferred make. Then she ran the photo through Google and discovered it was an own brand.

“The supermarket was on my way, so I got him some. It was amazing the difference such a little tweak made,” she said.

 “Personal preference is so important to support. For every customer to feel they are still in charge of decision making in their life.”

About Caremark Doncaster

If you are a problem solver like Rachel and are craving a better work/life balance, why not join our Blue Family by viewing our current home care jobs in Doncaster or calling us?