Jackie is an irreplaceable addition to our valued Care Professional team and has taken to care like a duck to water!
A real ‘people’ person, Jackie has had a wide range of roles before joining Home Instead. With Art and Photography as her main passion, she finds caregiving perfect and the flexible hours means she still has enough time to dedicate to her outside interests and hobbies, we chat with Jackie to find out more…
Can you share a little about your background and how you came to be a Care Professional for Home Instead?
Originally I completed an Art Degree and continued my interest in Art and Photography throughout whatever job I had. I have worked in home furnishings, owned a sandwich bar in London and had a role for 18 years in a school kitchen for Trafford. I have also volunteered with ‘Art with a Heart’ in Altrincham and window dressing for Oxfam.
About 6 months prior to joining Home Instead, I had started to feel like I needed a career change and wanted something more worthwhile, to make a difference and give something back. I think, like a lot of people, the pandemic made me think that there are some things in life that are more important. I heard good things from a friend who was working with Home Instead so decided to enquire. My mother had Dementia for 6 years, so I was very aware about care and how important it is to get it right. Around the same time, the Owner, Lucy, had contacted me about using some photographs I had taken to include in the ‘Be a Santa to A Senior’ Christmas calendar so we had a lovely chat about the role of a Care Professional too.
What do you like about being a Care Professional?
I enjoy my role as a Care Professional as I like people and find them interesting, so helping and giving them quality of life or supporting them to get back to being able to cope makes me feel good too.
Do you feel you have a good work-life balance?
I finally feel I do have a work-life balance as the varied hours means I can still continue to do other hobbies and activities. I’d had enough of the Monday to Friday routine with only a few hours to spare.
Do the office team work with your availability?
Yes, the office team have so far worked with my availability and been very supportive. Now I’m feeling more confident, I have just upped my hours!
What are your highlights so far?
When you do something for a client and they tell you how thankful they are even if it’s making them a home cooked meal or when you walk in and they tell you how lovely it is to see you, such a lovely feeling. Home Instead match Care Professionals with clients who have something in common, so a whole world opens up when you share similar interests and hobbies with your clients.
Has working with Home Instead met your expectations?
Yes, working for Home Instead has met my expectations and I’m glad I took the plunge and changed my career, wished I had done it sooner.
Would you recommend becoming a Care Professional to others?
Most definitely I would recommend being a carer, but I do believe you have to want to do it for others as much as for yourself, it ticks all my boxes!
How would you sum up what being a Care Professional is all about?
I think being a Care Professional is a most rewarding career. If you enjoy the company of people and want to help others for whatever reason and go home at the end of the day feeling satisfied then it’s a lovely job.
If you are a compassionate ‘people’ person and looking for role with flexible hours, visit our current vacancies page or speak to our friendly Recruitment Manager, Sian on 07494 476 005