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Paid & Unpaid Employment in the Care Sector

There are very few growth areas in employment at the moment but one sector which is on the increase at the minute is that of the care sector. As a population, we are living longer. When people live longer there is an increased incidence of age related conditions and that often requires some level of care.

In addition, there is an increased focus on disability and the need for support in providing care, as many parents of special needs children and adults will testify to. There are other individuals also who need care such as those who are terminally ill and those who have acquired a medical condition or brain injury who may require very specific and specialist care short-term or long-term. These conditions are often totally unrelated to the frailty that old age can bring although when many people think of caring for others they automatically assume it relates to old age.

Statistics would show that at some stage or another we will need to be looked after ourselves or will end up caring for our loved ones. Having care related skills therefore is extremely important whether we choose to embark on a career in care or not.

There are many individuals who provide care on a daily basis. Some of these individuals are paid to provide care such as Respite Workers, Home Helps, Care Attendants or Healthcare Assistants, Special Needs Assistants and Personal Assistants.

There are many others who provide care on a daily basis often 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are not paid to do so. They take on the role of a Family Carer often with very little support or recognition and often with no payment at all. These are the unsung heroes of our community who ensure that those in need of care are cared for in the place they love best – their own home. Family Carers deserve our thanks, our respect and our support.

If you want to make a difference, enjoy the company or other people and are sympathetic, kind and patient, you may be suitable for a career in the healthcare sector. To understand more about the different types of caring roles or positions that you might hear people talking about or might be on offer if you decide to avail of care related training, please continue to read below:-
 
Family Carers

A Family Carer is a person who provides Care in the Home, for a loved one often without financial remuneration to do so. They can provide care for a child or adult with special needs, to an older person, to someone with a terminal illness or to an individual with a disability.

Sometimes the Family Carer cares for more than one person in the home and may have to provide care seven days a week, to be on call 24 hours a day with little or no support. This can be rewarding but often it is exhausting, isolating and very stressful particularly in relation to finances.

We never know when this may be one of us. Many Carers participate on our training to give them information on how to access supports and information they require, to assist them in learning the skills necessary to provide care and also to assist them in coping with the psychological, physical and emotional demands of the caring role. 

A respite worker is a person who is employed and paid to provide the Family Carer with a break from caring responsibilities. They are trained to take over from the Carer and to be competent in carrying out personal care tasks.

Respite Workers 

Respite Workers are employed by The Carers Association from time to time as vacancies arise. All Learners on our Programmes are encouraged to submit Curriculum Vitae to our Resource Centre Managers for when these vacancies arise.

For further information, please go to our website www.carersireland.com and click on the About Us section to choose a location closest to you.

Home Helps

Home Helps are employed by the HSE and are generally paid to assist the Family Carer in undertaking certain tasks within the home that they may not get to do because of their caring commitments. They may also provide assistance to the Family Carer in undertaking certain tasks that they may not be able to do by themselves such as supporting the Carer in getting the cared for person in and out of the bed, morning and evening or in bed-bathing.   

The Home Helps may also support a person with a disability or someone frail and/or ageing who may wish to remain in their own home but require some assistance with certain tasks in order to be able to live independently.

    Care Attendant or Healthcare Assistant

A Care Attendant, Nursing Assistant or Aide or Healthcare Support Assistant supports the delivery of patient/client care usually under the supervision and direction of a Registered Nurse.

Healthcare Assistants can work in a variety of care facilities in the public, private and voluntary care sector. The care facilities tend to vary from the acute, general, maternity and childrens’s hospitals and residential nursing homes that are public, voluntary or private. They may also work in the community, in day care facilities, day hospitals or health centres.

Many new agencies and organisations have arisen in recent years to provide care in the home to those who can afford to pay for care or to those who have secured home care packages from the HSE. These private organisations often employ trained individuals to provide care assistance in the home and therefore are a good source of potential employment for those interested in paid work in the sector.

     Special Needs Assistant

A Special Needs Assistant is usually assigned to a child with a disability within the classroom situation to assist a child in attending and participating fully in mainstream school. They will provide one-to-one assistance that may be required as well as any personal care tasks.

The Special Needs Assistant will usually be instructed on the child’s disability, the level of support required and will operate under the direction of the Teacher with the support of the parents of the child.

     Personal Assistant

A Personal Assistant usually provides assistance to an adult individual with a disability to allow them to live as independently as possible. Usually the Personal Assistant is directed by the person with the disability as to what help or support is required.  

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