A little insight

Do you need a break? From what?

Honestly, who doesn’t need a break? Whether it’s from work, the mundane day to day chores of life or the weather, at some time we all need a break. It isn’t that i don’t love life, I do, some mornings I wake up and it’s a real effort to drag myself out of bed and get ready to start the hard slog that is daily working life.

dreaming

I would love to wake up in a hut on a sandy beach, at my leisure, coffee in hand and spend the rest of the month simply relaxing, thinking of nothing but the blue sky and waves. So yes, in answer to your question, I need a break.

“If you can’t fly, then run; if you can’t run, then walk; if you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Saint or ain’t

Anyone that reads my blog knows that I write, as much I enjoy it, writing is not what I do for a living. My actual job is in the care sector. I am a learning disability support worker. I often think I was born to do this type of work. I was blessed with the patience of a saint and it’s been my saving grace on many occasions It’s fair to say that like others in this profession I have had the odd moment where I want to lock myself in the ladies because I feel overwhelmed, I start asking myself what am I doing here, I’m not cut out for this, this is just too stressful. And breath… Then I pull myself together and away we go. Luckily I have a good sense of humour, you have to in a setting where you are dealing with situations that go from one extreme to another in a split second.

stress

It’s fortunate for me that I usually work with a good team of colleagues that do a fantastic job, have a good work ethic and help each other out. It is so important in this industry to work as a team. Treat your clients how you would wish a loved one to be treated is how we see it.

caring

Even now I know there is a lot for me to learn and I am always happy to take or ask for advice when it comes to the betterment of someone else’s life. So, what, as a support worker do we do? There are many that assume we hand out a cuppa here and there, a chocolate biscuit for the deserving maybe and a day of jigsaw puzzles with quiet unassuming individuals that think of us as the most wonderful creatures that God himself put here on earth…

… 7.45 a.m is handover time, let the day begin

Check the diary for the days events, appointments etcDisease control wipedownStart breakfastSupervise breakfastWash dishes, put dishes away, tidy kitchenStart laundryMedicationPersonal care (toileting, showers, shaving, teeth brushing, hair styling, dressing, nailcare) Bed making, general room tidy (more laundry)Go to appointmentsActivitiesPrepare lunch (more laundry)Supervise lunchClean and put away dishes, tidy kitchenDeep clean bathroomsDeep clean bedroomsTake out for personal shoppingGeneral cleaningCheck vehiclesCheck fire alarmsActivitiesClean windows, dust, vacuumCheck supplies, order suppiesPrepare dinnerServe dinner, supervise dinner, clean kitchenActivitiesMedicationPersonal care, pyjamas, teeth, wash etcBedtimeThroughout the day documenting as you go with food, fluids, behaviours, appointments, phone calls, visits etc

And that, dear friends, is why we value our breaks.