FEATURE Diary of a Carer


Hannah Tomlin, Carer at Walfinch care franchise in Oxford, wants to change the perception of care as a career. Here, she talks about the highlights of a recent week in order to demonstrate the many common misconceptions of what care work is actually like.


“I wish more people realised what a career in home care is really like,” says Hannah Tomlin. “People think it’s all about personal care and making tea but it’s really much more than that. It’s about seeing lots of different people and making their day brighter. It’s hugely rewarding, and it’s great fun.”


Hannah used to be a teaching assistant in a school but was inspired to join the local care team from home care company Walfinch Oxford aſter seeing the care they provided for her mother.


“They provided end-of-life care for my mum, and the care team were so lovely. They took some of the pressure off my sister and I, who were caring for mum, and they were such nice, friendly faces to have around at a sad time,” says Hannah.


Around a year later, Hannah decided she wanted a career that gave back to her local community and remembered the carers who helped look aſter her mum. She sought out Kam Gill, Managing Director of the Walfinch care franchise in Oxford, and started her care job as part of Kam’s team in September last year.


Hannah works about 25 hours most weeks, visiting clients for an hour at a time, in their homes around her area, near Wantage. She usually works from 9.15am to 3pm, when she goes to pick up the children from school. She also works every second Sunday and sometimes does visits in the evenings while her husband cares for the children.


OVERTURNING THE IMAGE OF CARE WORK


There are many common misconceptions about what care work is really like. That’s why Hannah is keen to talk about some of the things that her work involves.


“I like to take my clients out for visits if possible and try to make our outings fit in with their interests. Many clients love to get outdoors and having a carer with them gives them more confidence to get out and about,” she says.


“Of course, I also do housework and help people with personal care like dressing and showering, which I don’t mind doing at all, but the most important part of my visits is companionship and having a chat. I specialise in companionship and cooking, so I have a very pleasant job.”


Here Hannah talks about the highlights of a recent week.


MONDAY “My day starts with dropping off my children Ben, 11, and Zoe, nine at school, then it’s off to see Janet for a companionship visit. I go to Janet each day and make breakfast for her. She’s a keen gardener, and I like it too, so we talk a lot about gardening. We potter in the garden and occasionally I cut her grass.


“I also take Janet out to do her shopping. It’s more fun for my clients – and for me – if we go together. I drop her off at exercise classes twice a week too.


“Once you get to know people you hear everything about their families, their various interest and all their news. It’s lovely for me too – it doesn’t feel like work.”


TUESDAY


“Today I visited a lady who loves to go out walking. She’s very fit! We walk for an hour together, to different places. Sometimes we go to Ardington Woods, which is a lovely spot that has some standing stones, including one you can use as a sun dial. It also has a giant model of the solar system, made up of stones representing the sun and planets set into the grass, so it’s always interesting. Our walks take us to all kind of places, and sometimes we finish our walk with a visit to a café.”


WEDNESDAY


One of my clients today was a lady who used to work at a local bakery. She has some lovely stories. The bakery (it’s gone now) was over the street from the local police station, and when the buns came out of the oven, the bakery staff would wave at the police station, and someone would come over from the station to collect the buns.


“Every person I visit is extraordinary in some way or other, and they all have interesting stories to tell. One used to be a catwalk


- 38 - www.tomorrowscare.co.uk


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