Senior Care Workers

Senior care workers routinely oversee and monitor care workers, care assistants and home carers. They also attend to the personal needs and comforts of the elderly and the infirm with care and support needs (‘service users’) within residential care establishments, day care establishments or in their own homes.

Tasks

• Routinely oversees and monitors care workers and home carers
• Takes responsibility for the shift and for the service while on duty
• Responds to emergencies and provides guidance and support to care workers
• Assists and enables service users to dress, undress, wash, use the toilet and bathe
• Serves meals to service users at table or in bed, assists with feeding if required
• Generally assists with service users’ overall comfort and well being
• Provides interest and activities to stimulate and engage the service user
• Helps with daily activities such as letter writing, paying bills, collecting benefits
• Undertakes light cleaning and domestic duties including meal preparation as required
• Monitors service users’ conditions by taking temperature, pulse, respiration and weight, and contributes to record keeping
• Liaises with professional staff in carrying out care plans etc.

Entry Requirements

There are no formal academic entry requirements. In most cases workers will be required to register with the appropriate statutory body which involves satisfying the registration criteria. This would normally include holding or working towards the appropriate qualification for the job. A wide range of qualifications including NVQs/SVQs covering various aspects of care are available. Senior care workers must be qualified to an appropriate level (usually NVQ Level 3). They often have a background in social care and have achieved a qualification in this area; some may have nursing qualifications. Background checks including a CRB check are likely to be required.