My Week at Home Instead by Rory Smith
My Name is Rory Smith, I’m 15 years old, and I did my work experience at Home Instead. The reason is that my mum works here, and I was interested to find out what Mum and the rest of the team actually do. My original idea of what Home Instead did was to go into people’s houses and look after them. And although I was technically correct, it is a lot more complicated than I anticipated, with so much going on in the background.
To be honest, I thought I would spend the next week sorting files and bringing tea around, which didn’t seem like much fun, but it would have been much better than being in an airless classroom. However, I was completely caught off guard when, on my first day, I was informed that I would be attending an event called Love to Sing. It’s an event which everyone is invited to come to sing, dance and afterwards have some tea and biscuits. It’s a simple but very successful event with about 30 people on Fridays, located in the Quaker centre, Fairfield, and has been running since 2015! They have also started a Monday session at the Wimbledon Mansel Road centre recently, which isn’t as popular but is steadily gaining members. Both sessions are £5 per person, and live music is included. Anyone can attend! I enjoyed myself very much; the music was brilliant, and the atmosphere was very positive.
I also got to admire a snippet of the training that took place here, attending an oral medication competency with a newly boarded care professional. To those confused, it was a test to see whether or not the care pro had adequate knowledge to give medicine to a client. I was very impressed by all the precautions taken in order for medicine to be given correctly. I learnt about the different ways medicine can be given, how to use a blister pack and much more key information. I was surprised by the magnitude of information for seemingly such a simple task.
I think in order to succeed in the care business, you must have very good social and teamworking skills, not just as a care professional but also if you are working in finance, business or any other role. All of this information must be communicated to everyone to ensure that the client’s needs and preferences are effectively addressed. I was amazed by the efficiency of the employees at Home Instead and the dedication they consistently show to all their clients.
Many, however, won’t appreciate the amount of determination needed to do well here. It’s different if you are an accountant, for example, and someone calls out of work. You aren’t obligated to answer it because you are already finished for the day. But in the care business, this isn’t an option. It could be something very minor, like forgetting to clock out, or something serious, such as a client being taken to the hospital. But you can’t take the risk of not picking up the phone because it could be someone’s life that you put in jeopardy.
On a more positive note, one benefit of working here is being able to meet some amazing people. Many care professionals constantly visit a client for years, each time forging a stronger bond. They often form lasting friendships, and because they are both carers and companions, many care professionals say they wish they had met their clients before they came to Home Instead.
My work experience at Home Instead was very eye-opening for me, seeing how hard the team works each day to provide these people with this standard of care. It is difficult and very underappreciated. I would recommend doing work experience at Home Instead for anyone considering a job that incorporates a certain level of care. If you want to develop your social and teamwork skills, I also recommend this opportunity. Thank you!