For social workers, support workers and carers, s1jobs has a wealth of opportunities, with openings from the Shetland Islands to the Borders.
In fact, because of our ageing population, care for older people is one area where there is no shortage of jobs.
But it’s not all about managing decline.
Good care should focus on helping people make the most of their lives and there’s increasing evidence that by encouraging people to get out of their homes and to exercise more, health can improve and horizons expand regardless of age.
The key to motivating people is good relationships and if you work as an area coordinator in care management then it’s vital to gain the trust of your clients. Do this and you will be in a strong position to make a positive contribution to their lives.
Some relationships will last a very long time, but others, while shorter, may be equally as significant.
Helen Smart, who is 81, says that without her care team she would have been confined to her home on a permanent basis.
“I’d broken my leg and there were severe complications so I needed a lot of help when I came home from hospital. The team who looked after me for six weeks were exceptional. It is thanks to them that I recovered so quickly and was able to get on with my life.”
For 93-year-old Jim Chalmers 93 carers are a daily part of life.
“I live an hour away from my dad so I can only visit at weekends,” says Jim’s daughter, Claire. “Knowing that someone is popping in every morning and evening is very reassuring and it gives my dad someone to chat to as well.”
To work as a coordinator delivering these sorts of services you will need an SVQ Level 2 or 3 and experience of working with older people, something you’ll find hugely rewarding.
“I love my ladies and gentlemen and I think I’m very privileged to be allowed to help them,” says Dorothy Watson, who has been working in care for 25 years.
Louise Scott had been training as a hairdresser when the 23-year-old switched to care. She says it was a great decision.
“You know what you’re doing is really helping people and I love talking to my clients,” she says.
Caring may be a career but it’s also a vocation and one that can be rewarding for everyone involved.
For all the latest opportunities in social care visit s1jobs.com