A good impression

There’s nothing like making a good impression and Donna Porter has certainly done that in her first year working in homecare with Caremark Kirklees.

Donna, who followed her daughter’s advice in joining the company, was recently named joint Carer of the Year at the annual awards ceremony.

“The first I knew was when they read my name out, so I was totally surprised,” said Donna. “I love my job and to hear so many nice comments was lovely.”

When Donna joined Caremark last year it marked a complete career change. Previously she had been working for a caravan and motorbus company, making sure vehicles were ready before they were dispatched to customers.

Feeling she needed a change, she was encouraged to apply to Caremark by her daughter, Sammi-Jo, who was already working for the company.

Her face would light up

“Sammi-Jo would call in to see me on the way home from work and she always had a smile on her face,” said Donna.

“Her face would light up when she was telling me about her work and I thought I wanted a job that made you feel that way.”

Donna, 50, says she found the new role challenging at first but she persevered and is now confident in the role.

“Some people are in poor health and may not be with us much longer. You have to accept that as part of the job and make their final days as comfortable as possible,” said Donna.

“With others you might be the only person they see that day so the social interaction is very important.”

A sense of humour

With four grown up children and eight grandchildren, Donna says she and husband Andrew have little time for downtime but she’s happy to have a life revolving round her job and her family.

“The most important thing is to have a sense of humour,” said Donna.

“If you can have a laugh with a client it makes them feel better and is personally very rewarding.”

If you have a sense of humour and are looking for a change in career like Donna, why not contact us today to discuss career opportunities in homecare with Caremark Kirklees?