JUL 2023: Being a carer in a Baycroft home

Working as a carer is so much more than just a job; it becomes a deeply rewarding experience, knowing that you are making a positive impact on the lives of the people you care for. We are so lucky that we have an incredible team of carers in all of our homes, who take pride in looking after all of our residents each and every day.

We caught up with Charlene, who is one of the carers at Baycroft Kempston and has been with the team for three years, to find out a little more about what’s involved on a normal day as a carer, as well as exploring what makes this role such a special one.

Charlene joined the Baycroft team back in 2020 and hopes to use her experience to pursue a career in nursing. Every day, our care teams provide residents with essential care, but it’s also so important that they have a sense of empathy and understanding when they are interacting with the people that have chosen to join us in our Baycroft homes. “Each shift begins with a handover” Charlene explains, “during which I am given the names of the residents I will be looking after that day. I start off by greeting my residents and checking in on them, making sure everything is ok and if there’s anything they need, before supporting them with their breakfast.”

“After breakfast we start the personal care side of the role, and then other daily tasks include supporting them with their meals, encouraging them with fluids and taking care of their overall wellbeing.”

Our care team support residents from all walks of life, whether they are joining us for residential care, are staying in one of our homes for respite after an operation or illness, or if they need more specialist support such as dementia care. Our team adapt their skills to meet the needs of our individual residents, rather than the other way around.

Caring is all about building connections, and working in one of our homes allows carers to form deep and meaningful relationships with our residents. As they spend so much time together, our carers often become like extended family members, offering a sense of friendship to those who may have felt lonely or isolated before they joined us. Charlene says: “I love seeing my residents happy, and I love making sure that their experience with us here at Baycroft is always going to be a positive one.”