Jenny's Diary

My name is Jenny and I am a carer. My children are all at school and I wanted to work in a job that fits in with my home life, where I can do some training and also get some real job satisfaction.

Working for Ark as a carer meets all of these needs for me as they let me work the hours that best suit my life, give me the right training and support to do a good job and the knowledge that I am making a difference to the lives of my clients.

6:30 am

A typical day for me will be to leave home at 6.30am whilst everyone else is still asleep. I go straight to my first client of the day Mrs Brown. She is a very elderly lady who lives alone, is frail but very, very independent and we work with her to make sure that she can stay at home and do things for herself as long as she can and wants to. I help Mrs Brown to get out of bed as she is stiff when she gets up so needs some time to get moving. While she gets up, I will make her a cup of tea and then go back to see how she is feeling and what help she needs today. During the visit I help Mrs Brown get washed and dressed (she lets me know what she needs) and prepare her breakfast. I wash up and tidy up and remind her to take her medication, then I leave her comfortable and ready for the day with a drink on the table next to her. I update the records in her home, log out and go on to my next client. I will be back to Mrs Brown later today.

On my way home I go to Mr Ludworth. He only has a short visit at 8.15 to remind him to take his medication and I update the record in his home to say that he has been reminded and all is well. He likes his visit and it helps him to stay well without causing him too much fuss as he hates fuss.

8:45 am

I am home at 8.45 ready to get everyone off to school. I get back from school and tidy up and have a cup of tea and then go off to see Mrs Wainwright for 11am. I meet my colleague Rose there and we work together for Mrs Wainwright as she is wheelchair bound and we use special equipment and moving techniques to help her get washed and dressed and comfortable for the rest of the day. We are specially trained to use the equipment and the moving techniques. Mrs Wainwright lives with her family but prefers us to help her to wash and dress so that she is not reliant on her family too much.

12:00

At 12 we say goodbye to Mrs Wainwright and Rose goes off to another client who she prepares lunch for and I go back home to get ready for the afternoon when my family will be home.

5:00 pm

At 5pm I leave home to go back to Mrs Brown. When I arrive, Mrs Brown will be ready for her dinner and she chooses what she would like to eat and I prepare this and we lay the table together. While she eats her meal I will do some housework that she needs doing - I clean the bath, do the laundry - mainly things that she can't manage herself now. After dinner I wash up, remind her to take her medication, and get her night things ready. At 6.30 I update the contact book and log out and say goodnight to Mrs Brown.

7:45 pm

I go to Mrs Singh at 7.45. She has had a stroke and finds it difficult to speak, is not very mobile and is incontinent. She lives with her family who look after her and my visit is to help to make sure that she is clean and comfortable for the evening and bedtime She manages with her family for the rest of the time but finds it more difficult when she is tired at the end of the day. I help her wash and change and put her special pads on for the night. It takes time as she is slow and likes to talk so, as with all my clients, we make sure we chat while working. When she is comfortable, I properly dispose of the pads and protective gloves (we are supplied with these and trained about infection control and how to dispose of waste properly). I say goodbye to Mrs Singh and her family, update the contact book and log out.

I go home to a cup of tea and get ready for the next day and feel good that I have had a good day and so have my clients.