Marie wakes up and starts her day at 6 AM as she prepares for her first call at 7: 30 AM. Before setting off, Marie makes sure that everything is in place for her own kids once they awake for school in a few hours and are escorted there by their father.
After her first call at 7:30 AM, Marie arrives at her second client’s Adam home for a time of 9:00 AM. Adam suffers from both Dementia and Parkinson’s disease, so Marie is both aware and accustomed to the gentle touch, attention to detail and the positive encouragement required to deliver the best care to her client.
As Marie arrives at Adam’s house and begins her morning chatter, she is aware that her client may not be able to respond, although she will be able to see recognition in her client’s eyes. Marie continues to make conversations with Adam about how he is feeling today, whether he has had something to drink this morning and his overall well-being before she prepares to help him out of bed and into a wheelchair.
Marie then moves Adam towards the bathroom for his morning shower. Marie knows Adam well and begins to play his favourite shower song ‘Always on my mind’ by the great Elvis Presley. Following a shower, Marie dries Adam thoroughly, before dressing him up in comfortable lounge wear he will wear for the rest of the day.
Marie feeds Adam his breakfast and continues their morning chat between them. After the hour is up, Marie ensures Adam has everything that he needs, before she prepares to say her goodbyes and walks to her next appointment only 10 minutes down the road.
At this location, Marie says good morning to Lucille. This time a 30-minute call, Marie uses time management to ensure she is able to provide great care without the client feeling rushed. Lucille suffers from arthritis in both her hands and feet, causing prominent issues in her mobility although she still remains relatively independent. This call requires Marie to perform some light cleaning and companionship, in which Lucille often loves to reiterate how much she loves and enjoys her conversations with Marie.
At 10:30 AM, Marie gives Lucille a farewell and now has a few hours spare before her next appointment 2:30 pm.
Following her break, Marie will go on to make 6 different calls for the day, each of which will provide and require a unique approach, skillset and attitude. Marie does this 5 days a week, including an overnight stay on a Wednesday where she provides care for a couple in their 90’s who have Alzheimer’s.
Every carer at Eleanor has the opportunity to choose how much they are able to work each week alongside their availability. However, Marie like many other carers, likes to be kept busy and find that caring comes naturally to her.
In the case of Marie, she explains: “When my two eldest children left home to go to university, I no longer had anyone dependent upon me, this left a void that I wanted to fill. I decided to apply to Eleanor has a Healthcare Assistant so I could offer the care I would provide my eldest to others and to make use of my time. Besides, working for Eleanor gives me the opportunity to meet new people and hear many different stories! Caring comes natural to me and so it does not feel like work at all’
“Working at Eleanor is also varied, all clients provide and require something different, the job is flexible and I have the ability to work more or less hours as I choose and calls are scheduled around my personal commitments such as the evening school run.”
“Caring is a great profession with opportunities for progression, which can be so rewarding if you are dedicated. I view the people I provide care for as part of my extended family and I really enjoy and have a passion for what I do”.
