Lifting the spirits of our customers is so important, they may not see anyone for the rest of the day. So, on St Patrick’s Day I put on a hat and painted my face to brighten their day and give them a little boost. Some of them tried on the hat, and they thought it was great fun.
I used to have my own business; we had a newsagent’s. But when my first son was born, I couldn’t do the hours. I decided to sell the business and I was looking for something different.
I’d always had an interest in care and looking after people in their own homes. My grandmother had Alzheimer’s, she came to live with us when I was living at home, and I helped to look after her.
In 2016 I joined Bluebird Care as a healthcare assistant. I was attracted to the flexibility of working in care. The flexibility is amazing, you can work around your children and around family life.
I get great satisfaction from helping people and knowing they’re happy and that I’m doing the best I can to make sure all their needs are met. Your heart has to be in it, and my heart was in it straight away. I loved it.
It’s very rewarding meeting new people from different backgrounds, everyone has a story to tell, and every day is different. I like to see the good in people, it’s just my attitude. I’ve met some lovely people along the way.
It’s very tough when a customer passes away. They’re like family, you’re going in to see them every day. You might see them more than you see your own family. But you know you’ve done your best, and you’ve done everything you can, that’s all you can do. You’ve helped them to stay in their own home and that’s amazing.
Generally, most people love being at home, they want to be at home. It’s great that we can provide a service to keep them at home.
In 2021 I was promoted to Care Supervisor, and I’m team leader for over 50 healthcare assistants.
The carers can come to me if they have any problems and I support them. It’s very important that they have support from the office and know that we’re here for them.
Bluebird Care is a great company to work for. We have a great team and I have always felt supported.
My sister is now a healthcare assistant for Bluebird Care, she joined in 2017.
In 2022 I was named Team Member of the Year at Bluebird Care’s annual awards. It’s nice to be acknowledged and I’m very proud to receive the award.
I love my job. It’s great when you go to work, and you enjoy your role. I like looking after people. I also love learning; I’ve just completed a safeguarding course and I’ve done a management course. I hope to continue to grow in the company and develop my skills. And we will keep on providing a quality service in the community, that’s so important.
My current role as Care Supervisor includes meeting new customers, carrying out assessments and developing care plans based on each individual and their care requirements. This is a very important role as I am the 1st person they meet from the company, and it is very important to make the customer feel at ease and comfortable.
A lot of people are new to care and need reassurance and guidance. I like to think the customer has met a friendly face and looks forward to receiving care in their own home. The role involves spot checks and supervisions and guiding new care assistants beginning on the care journey to reach their full potential as care assistants. The care assistants can relate to me as they know I have being in their role and understand their role. I get great satisfaction from my role knowing that we are providing a high standard of care and allowing people to be cared for in the comfort of their own home”.
Ailsing
Ailsing
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National
