by admin | 29.06.2021
Looking after someone while working can be a lot to handle at once. You might be concerned about the person you care about while you work, and this may a negative impact on your well-being. It can be helpful to know about some of your rights at work and think about what can help you manage your caring and work responsibilities
1. The right to flexible working
Looking after someone can be exhausting and take up a lot of your time. If you also have to work, you may be entitled to request flexible working arrangements from your employer to help fulfil your responsibilities.
Flexible working can involve changing your work hours – you could start work earlier or finish later to help juggle your caring responsibilities. It could also mean to work remotely part-time or all of the time. You’re allowed to make a single request for flexible working each year. Your employer is legally obligated to consider your request, but they are allowed to refuse provided they have good business reasons. Therefore, it’s important to consider how the business will be affected, and how your manager may take it. Provide as much as information as possible about how you can continue to help the business from home, or how you can deal with any negative impacts your manager may be concerned with.
2. The right to time off in an emergency
There may be times when you can’t go in to work because of an emergency situation involving the person you’re caring for. If you’re responsible for another person, you have the right to time off in an emergency. You must inform your employer as soon as possible after the emergency has happened. These situations could include your normal care arrangements being cancelled, or if the person you care for dies or suffers an injury.
It’s also no surprise that happy employees produce better work. Employers who take active steps in taking care of their employees’ physical and mental well-being at work can help to keep staff turnover rate low. Here are a few tips:
Create a positive environment for carers
Research conducted by Carers UK show that carers really value having an understanding line manager and a supportive employer. Create a supportive environment where there is no stigma attached to carers identifying themselves. Display posters and newsletters on staff notice boards, outlining some of the carer-related benefits that they may not be aware of, such as carers allowance.
Having a carers’ support network
Identifying carers can be difficult. In fact, one in seven are responsible for supporting for their loved ones who are older, disabled or in a serious condition. Chances are you may have a few carers in your workplace, and perhaps they would feel more comfortable if they had someone to talk to about it – someone in a similar position to them.
Employers should try and provide information to carers about existing workplace carer support groups and what external support is available. Even if this isn’t exactly the type of support they want, it can still be helpful to communicate regularly via company polices or signposting posters to let them know that support is always available. It could also include contacting carers’ centres to receive personal advice on how to make the workplace a reassuring environment
Prioritise training for carers
A carer may feel that they are lacking progression at work, and perhaps forgotten about (even more so due to remote working). They may find it difficult to concentrate on their career, because they aren’t provided with the right support. Make it easy for people to understand what support is on offer for carers – provide additional training courses, seminars and subscriptions to further their learning. The people are the most valuable resource to a company and developing individuals and teams is the key to keeping people and organisations moving forward.
As always, we are here to help. If you feel you need more support with your role as a carer so that you can stay in employment, contact Harrow Carers at 020 8868 5224. We can offer you individually tailored support regarding your career, application advice, interviews, benefits you may be entitled to and much, much more…
Working for Carers are running a session on Balancing Working and Caring on Thursday 19th August – please click here for more information.
Working for Carers is a London-wide project that supports unpaid carers, aged 25 or over, to move closer to employment. The project is led by Carers Trust and delivered by its network of 24 partners across London. Working for Carers is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund. Call 020 8868 5224 Ext 218/208
by admin | 28.05.2021
Carers often express that they have little to no skills or experience to offer when they are considering returning to work – “I’m just a carer, I don’t have anything to offer”. The truth is, being an unpaid carer and looking after your loved ones gives you a wide range of experience, knowledge, and skills that you can bring to the workplace. It can be helpful to take a step back and look at all the transferable skills you’ve gained over the years.
There’s a simple exercise to this.
Make a list of your daily tasks
On a piece of paper, list out all the skills you have developed through your caring role that you think would be useful in the workplace. If this is a struggle, write down exactly what you do on a daily basis for an entire week.
“I have to pick up medication every Monday and book an appointment with our doctor every Wednesday”.
So, you may have superb organisation and time-management skills. It could also mean being able to locate documents quickly, or maintaining an up-to-date calendar. Staying organised can help one identify and prioritise what tasks need to be complete and when.
You could consider event planning or being a personal assistant, especially if you’re great at arranging appointments and running errands on behalf of others. Take a look through these fifteen job ideas; they’re suitable for organised people like yourself.
“I regularly communicate our situation to our doctor, and listen attentively to their advice”.
These are examples of excellent communication skills. These are vital in helping you get hired, land promotions, and be a success throughout your career. Being a good listener goes a long way too. This means to pay close attention to what the other person is saying, asking clarifying questions, and rephrasing what the person says to ensure understanding (“So, what you’re saying is…”). Your colleagues will love this as it shows you can truly engage in conversations.
If you excel at communication, you could consider a role in human resources. These specialists are usually responsible for finding the best candidate for the job. You’d be responsible for interviewing potential candidates or setting up meetings with managers. Although a degree in management or human resources is preferred, employers can consider your application if you have a degree related to marketing or communication.
If you don’t have a related degree, don’t fret. Here are more examples of careers for people with good communication skills.
“I help with personal care such as support with showering and dressing”.
So, you may have a tremendous amount of patience. A large portion of careers need some level of patience. For example, if you’re handling a customer complaint it’s important that you try to understand and sympathise with their situation.
Perhaps you’re not interested in sales or customer service, that’s perfectly fine. There are plenty of other jobs out there that require patience. You could consider being a childcare worker. Often your role would entail helping children with their school work, or being required to feed or bathe them if they’re younger.
If you don’t want any jobs that are similar to your caring responsibilities, you could look into animal trainers. These require a great level of patience as you’ll teach animals to recognise and respond to various calls and commands. If you love interacting with animals, this might be the job for you!
Here are more jobs that require patience skills.
We’re always here to help
When you think about it, the skills, qualities and experience of an unpaid carer are extensive. Writing out your daily tasks and the skills associated with each one makes it easy to identify which ones are transferable to the workplace. You’ll also find out which of your skills are more developed, as these would relate to the tasks that are often repeated.
We hope that by reading today’s post and completing the exercise above, it has helped with your confidence and given your CV a boost. If you need any help with job applications or interviews, give Harrow Carers a call at 020 8868 5224 for free consultation.
Working for Carers is a London-wide project that supports unpaid carers, aged 25 or over, to move closer to employment. The project is led by Carers Trust and delivered by its network of partners across London. Working for Carers is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund. Contact Working for Carers on 020 8868 522 Ext 218/208.
by admin | 14.05.2021
Caring can be a rewarding experience, but it can also take a mental and physical toll. To continue providing care to their loved ones, it’s vital that carers stays healthy. But when you’re looking after someone else, it’s easy to forget your own health needs. Sure, there may be times where it’s difficult to think about anything else, and sometimes carers may feel they aren’t doing enough. But you are human too. It’s important to think about your own health and well-being .
Being healthy is not only vital for you, but it is also beneficial to the person you care for. If you have a good sleep schedule, you will have more patience and energy. If you have access to more financial or emotional support, you will be in a better position to support the people you are looking after.
Here are five tips to help improve your health and well-being, especially if your caring responsibilities are physically and emotionally draining you out.
Making Time for Regular Exercise
It can be difficult to find the time when you have caring responsibilities. You may be worn out, but taking some time out to exercise can be beneficial to your physical and mental health. Think about a good time to fit this in, and give your own needs the same importance as others.
A simple stroll in the park can help declutter your mind and keep your joints healthy. Consider joining a virtual exercise class if you prefer to exercise with others. The NHS have a great resource about fitness, tutorials and exercises you can do from the comfort of your own home. Consider doing exercises with the person you support, if appropriate.
Having a Healthy Diet
It can be difficult to maintain your caring responsibilities if you don’t have the right nutrition to fuel your day. It can be easy to forget while caring, and it’s much easier to snack on processed foods when you feel there isn’t enough time. Try and eat a varied diet of fruits and vegetables, as well as having healthy protein in each meal. Try not to let stress or boredom lead to over-indulging on snacks.
Here are a few healthy-eating tips to try:
– Having a healthy breakfast each day. It’s a great way to start the day with some fibre, and it will help you stay away on unhealthy snacks throughout the day.
– Adding more fruits and vegetables. The NHS guideline recommends at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day.
– Staying hydrated. Water regulates your body temperature, lubricates your joints and gives you energy throughout the day. Most adults need around 2 to 2.5 litres of fluid a day.
Receiving additional support
It’s perfectly fine in asking for help when you need it. If you’ve sustained physical injuries from lifting the person you cared for, consider asking your GP to refer you to a physiotherapist. You may also be entitled to additional benefits as a carer that you may not be aware of. Give us a call at 020 8868 5224 if you’re unsure, as you may be missing out on financial support.
You don’t need to feel guilty about accepting help. Remember that there is only so much you can do – try to accept that sometimes you may need help.
Taking Care of Yourself
Although caring is rewarding, it’s often extremely exhausting and can leave you with little time to yourself. It’s important you still make time for any interests and the things you love to do. Even if it’s just 15 minutes a day – taking the time to care for yourself can go a long way. You are human too, after all. It could be reading a book, taking a hot bath, doing some gardening – whatever you fancy.
Staying connected with others
Keeping in contact with your friends and family can be a great way to let off steam. You can talk about your emotions and what you’re going through. If you don’t feel like talking, you could try reading books together, attending a pottery class, or playing games online.
You can also attend our group workshops at Harrow Carers. Our workshops provide an opportunity to meet other carers and share experiences. Remember that you aren’t alone and we’re here to help. Finding others in similar situations can be extremely rewarding and can help you both physically and emotionally. They’re likely to have gone through the same experiences as you – it’s a chance to let off steam, share frustrations or seek some advice.
Being an effective carer is difficult if you ignore your own health, as you may lose the ability to cope over time. Life is really challenging right now, but we’re always here to help. If you are a carer and require extra support, feel free to call us at 020 8868 5224.
Working for Carers is a London-wide project that supports unpaid carers, aged 25 or over, to move closer to employment. The project is led by Carers Trust and delivered by its network of partners across London. Working for Carers is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund. Contact Working for Carers on 020 8868 5224 Ext 218/208.
by admin | 06.05.2021
Nearly a third of working carers have not discussed their caring role in the workplace, with a quarter giving up their career completely because of how difficult it is to combine work and care.
Carers play a fundamental role in our society. They strengthen family ties and help loved ones have a better quality of life. While it can be greatly rewarding, carers tend to neglect their own needs especially if they don’t receive the required support.
It’s important that carers are supported while they are at work while they juggle their caring responsibilities. They may have excellent transferable skills that would be an asset to any workplace, including their flexibility and practicality. But carers don’t want to be treated as a special case. Instead, they prefer understanding from their managers and support in managing their caring responsibilities.
How to Identify Carers
Who is a carer?
A carer is usually responsible for supporting and caring for their loved ones who are older, disabled or in a serious condition. Some carers provide daily care at their home for several hours, while others may have to travel to support their loved one on a weekly basis. This may involve doing the weekly shopping, helping them with administrating medicine or managing their finances.
Many do not see themselves as carers
Identifying carers can be difficult. In fact, many carers do not identify themselves as carers (“I’m just a wife, husband, friend, neighbour”) and may not wish to raise this situation with their managers. Others may be reluctant to reveal this information for fear of being stereotyped.
Employers owe it to their employees to create a safe environment for carers to be open, so that they can receive the best support possible. From a business perspective, carers who feel supported by their employers are likely to be less stressed, resulting in greater job performance and increased commitment to the organisation.
Look out for sudden behaviours
In the workplace, there are a few signs to look out for that an employee may be a carer. They may frequently be adjusting their working hours, or attending many appointments. They may also seem distressed or anxious, a behaviour which is noticeably different from their usual self.
Displaying carer information
It can also help to display additional posters and newsletters on staff notice boards, outlining some of the work-related benefits that carers may be entitled to. Self-identification is typically the most likely method of identification for a carer.
Supporting Carers at the Workplace
To best support carers at the workplace, employers should strive for a comfortable and reassuring environment where there is no stigma attached to carers identifying themselves.
Here are a few ways to go about this:
Introduce a carers policy
It can be valuable to place a policy on carers to demonstrate your support to employees with caring responsibilities. This can outline the range of support the company can provide, including adaptable working arrangements and career breaks. The existence of this policy should be communicated regularly to provide continuous support.
Introduce a flexible working approach
Flexible working can help carers balance their caring and work responsibilities. This approach allows employees to adjust their hours or place of work to better suit their needs, so that they can continue to work effectively. It could also involve job sharing, part-time working, or moving them into a less stressful role for the time-being.
Every caring situation and job is different, so what suits to one person might vary to what suits someone else.
Carers’ support network
Understanding that they are ‘not alone’ is a crucial element of support. Employers can provide information to carers about existing workplace carer support groups and what external support is available. Even if this isn’t the type of peer support that carers want, signposting the support available can help break the isolation carers can experience. A great starting point would be to personally ask the carers what would work best for them.
Small changes can go a long way…
There are many ways employers can provide a supportive working environment for carers at their workplace. It doesn’t necessarily mean a major change in the organisation is required, rather a few small and simple adjustments can enable carers to feel secure and at ease at the workplace.
Working for Carers is a London-wide project that supports unpaid carers, aged 25 or over, to move closer to employment. The project is led by Carers Trust and delivered by its network of partners across London. Working for Carers is funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund. Contact Working for Carers on 020 8868 5224 Ext 218/208.
by admin | 21.04.2021
Your caring role may one day come to an end. The loved one you’re looking after may need to move into a care home, need more support, or sadly, they may die. It can be a tough, because for so long they were the focus of your life. Whatever the circumstances, you may be surprised at how drastic of an adjustment it can be. It’s a good idea to start preparing for the future – we share ways of how to adjust to these changes.
If the person you care for needs more assistance
There’s many reasons why you may not be able to continue caring for someone. Their health may have deteriorated and you can’t provide the additional time and energy, or you may even have your own health issues. At this point, it’s wise to think about finding another system of care.
Firstly, ask your local social services department to carry out a care needs assessment – you may find that they are entitled to additional benefits compared to before. It’s recommended to also get assessed yourself, as you may be entitled to extra financial and physical support.
If they need more intensive care
If you find that the person you care for needs more intensive support, then you may need to consider moving them into a care home. You may no longer be able to provide care due to other responsibilities, and perhaps you feel you have let your loved one down. But your well-being is important too, and there’s only so much you can do.
Just because they move into a care home, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you stop being a carer. You may want to continue visiting the person and keep them company, or you may want to provide help whenever you can. It’ll help them get used to the new environment. If you still provide some care, again check with the local council as you may have access to additional carers’ rights and benefits.
If the person you cared for dies
The death of a loved one brings can bring about new feelings. You will naturally feel grief and loneliness from losing someone that was a big part of your life. If they were ill for a long time, you may even feel some relief. Everyone’s reaction and way of coping is completely different. Some find it easier to talk with friends and family who knew the person you cared for, so that you can all share happy memories. Others cope best on their own.
You may have to deal with the necessary practicalities, like organising a funeral or sorting out any financial issues. At Harrow Carers, we can offer advice about all of that and more. Give us a call at 020 8868 5224.
What happens now?
If your caring role has come to an end, naturally you would consider taking time off to recover, both mentally and physically. If caring was the main focus of your life, you may feel confused and a loss of purpose. You may also find yourself with lots of time on your hands but are unsure with what to do with it.
Before rushing into anything, be gentle and allow yourself to recover. Spend time with family and friends and do something you enjoy. It can help to reflect and look back on everything you’ve learned – all the good times you had and how well you coped. Think about all the skills you’ve developed and if there’s any opportunities out there to put them to good use.
When you’re ready, you may need to think about returning to work. You may want to return to the ‘normal’ life you had before caring or have a clean state, but have no idea where to start. That’s where we come in. The team at Harrow Carers can offer you individually tailored support regarding your career, application advice, interviews and much, much more…
Feel free to give us a ring at 020 8868 5224.
