Dementia care in Leicestershire South: Your complete local guide
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Thinking about becoming a carer in Bournemouth or Poole? A care professional’s day looks quite different depending on whether you’re in a visiting role, moving between several clients across Bournemouth and Poole, or a live-in role, based with one client in their own home for a period of weeks. Both are genuinely rewarding, and both are about helping someone live well and stay independent. The right fit really comes down to the kind of working pattern you want.
Key takeaways
- Visiting care professionals support several clients across Bournemouth and Poole each day, with variety built into the role
- Live-in care professionals are based with one client, usually for a minimum of two weeks at a time
- No experience is needed to start in a visiting role, full paid training is provided
- Live-in roles usually ask for some prior care experience, around six months is a helpful guide
- Both roles include paid mileage, career progression through funded diplomas, and access to the GoodOaks Academy for ongoing training
A day in a visiting role
A visiting care professional’s day is built around a number of home visits within the local area. We keep rounds grouped together by area, for example Broadstone, Parkstone and Southbourne, rather than sending anyone criss-crossing across town between clients, so each shift flows smoothly from one visit to the next. Each visit is different. One morning might start with helping a client get washed, dressed and ready for the day. Later there could be a visit to help with lunch and medication, or simply time spent chatting over a cup of tea and a walk to the shops.
No two days look quite the same, and that variety is part of what people say they enjoy most. Mileage between visits is paid, and contracts can be shaped flexibly around your own life, whether that’s a few hours a week or a fuller working pattern.
A day in a live-in role
A live-in care professional’s day has a different rhythm. Rather than moving between clients, you’re based in one client’s home for a set placement, usually a minimum of two weeks, and often three to four, sometimes continuing on an ongoing basis if it suits both sides. Your day is woven around that person’s routine, morning support, meals, companionship, help around the house, and time simply being present, whether that’s a quiet afternoon in a Sandbanks home or a walk along the seafront in Bournemouth.
Because you’re building a relationship with one person over time, live-in roles tend to suit people who already have some care experience, generally around six months is a helpful guide, though every application is considered individually.Â
What both roles have in common
Whichever path suits you, GoodOaks care professionals get access to the GoodOaks Academy for ongoing training and development, paid mileage where travel is part of the role, and a genuine route to progress into funded diplomas and Team Leader positions, which we only ever fill from within. GoodOaks has been rooted in Bournemouth and Poole since 2011, so joining the team here means joining the company’s founding branch.
Frequently asked questions
1. What’s the difference between a visiting carer and a live-in carer?
A visiting carer supports several clients across the local area each day, while a live-in carer is based with one client in their own home for a set placement, usually a minimum of two weeks.
2. Do you need experience to become a live-in carer?
Generally yes, around six months of prior care experience is a helpful guide for live-in roles, though visiting carer roles need no experience at all.
3. How long are live-in care placements?
Placements are usually a minimum of two weeks, often three to four, and can continue on an ongoing basis if it suits both the client and the carer.
4. Do carers need to drive or have their own car?
For visiting roles, yes, a driving licence and access to a car are needed to travel between clients. For live-in roles, having a car is helpful for errands but isn’t always essential.
5. Is there career progression from either role?
Yes. Both paths lead to the same opportunities, funded diplomas and Team Leader roles, which are filled from within wherever possible.
Getting started as a carer
If either of these sounds like the kind of day you’d want to have, we would love to hear from you, whether you’re completely new to care or already have experience under your belt. Have a look at our current openings on the GoodOaks careers page, or get in touch with our friendly Poole office directly, and one of our team can talk you through which role might suit you best.
