When people grow older, there will come a time when they won’t be able to take care of themselves anymore. They’ll need assistance from their relatives or friends, or may need to be brought to a care home facility. An alternative option for them would be to hire the services of a live in carer. Live in carers provide so much relief to families that have someone that needs assistance with their daily lives.

With the growth of the elderly population and with everyone so busy now, there are lots of live in carer jobs waiting to be filled. But what exactly do live in carers do? What is their job description? Are you fit for the role? Before deciding to enter this profession, you need to understand some basic information about live in carers, their roles, and the rules that regulate the industry.

 

What are live in carers?

Live in carers are workers who stay in the home of the person they’re caring for. Just like a care provider in a regular care facility, the live in carer has to take care of their client and provide for all their needs. Since live in carers are staying with their client, they may have some additional job requirements like they may be able to cook, drive their client around, or buy groceries. The clients of live in carers are usually elderly people or those with certain conditions that prevents them from doing this on their own.

 

How old should I be?

You need to be above the age of 18 to be able to provide personal care. However, even if you are younger, you can do some live in care tasks as long as there is someone supervising you. But as long as you’re under 18, expect only a few opportunities for you. Jobs that younger people can do include friendly tasks such as engaging in conversation with the client or pushing their wheelchair. You may also end up doing some simple house chores.

 

How much can I earn?

This really depends. There are lots of live in carer jobs, each with different salary ranges. The best you can do is to apply to as many care facilities as you can and ask how much they offer. However, in the end, it will really depend on where you apply. You might find a carer job that pays more than the average.

To become a live in carer, you need to possess a kind heart and a willingness to help strangers. You should be hardworking and you shouldn’t complain about tasks provided to you. Your job description is all about helping others go about their daily lives. People hire you because they need assistance, and so patience is one of the foremost qualities you need to possess.