A day in office- Claire (Administrator)

When I first applied for a position as an administrator at Bluebird Care, I thought that it would be exactly what it said on the tin - Administering work within the office. This is true, but I quickly learnt that it is also far more... Working for Bluebird Care is, in any capacity all about the care, first and foremost. I soon learnt that whatever your role, you are there to help deliver the best care. Every part of my day is really working towards helping to achieve these goals. It's not just about task completion, or ticking boxes, it's about ensuring that there is a smooth, conscientious, caring approach, with customers and also carers. I was slightly naive to begin, I think I underestimated just how hardworking our carers are. I soon began to realise that they put in huge amounts of time and hours daily. They are extremely dedicated, and really do have such solid relationships with their customers. They go above and beyond on so many occasions and as obvious as it sounds - They do care! I have always prided myself on being a caring person too, and so I try to look after all customers over the telephone, via email or face to face. I had the pleasure of attending a lovely Christmas-themed activity day a couple of weeks ago and was able to put faces to so many names and voices. It was so rewarding, sitting and talking to these customers, making tea, playing bingo with them. I could see by just looking around that the carers there had such a rapport with people. I felt touched by the whole event, seeing plenty of smiles. I have to say that I feel very privileged to work within such a team, and for such a company. You can aim to achieve the minimum standards, or you can go that extra mile and give people something to remember. These little touches go such a long way. To us, they may seem tiny gestures, but to customers, they truly mean so much. Sending birthday cards, having a fish and chip supper celebrating a customer's birthday so they are not on their own, visiting them in hospital with flowers out of your own time and money...these are just a few things that I have seen and heard of and thought "Wow", that makes me proud. Perception of a care company prior to working for Bluebird... auto pilot visits, task completions. And now? Caring, dedicated, hardworking... there are not enough words.

Claire

A day in the life of a carer- Michael

To start the Blog off, here is a lovely hands on account from one of our carers- Michael.

Becoming a Bluebird carer was very daunting at the beginning. I had no previous experience in the care industry. Everyone would seem to associate care with wiping bottoms and clearing up after the elderly.. But this couldn't be further from the truth...

   

Caring for people in their own homes is fantastic. Walking into somebody's home, where they are comfortable and know their own surroundings is a real bonus for the customers.

Caring for people with all sorts of disabilities is challenging, I wont lie. The job itself is not only physically demanding at times, but also mentally and emotionally demanding too. Seeing someone feeling vulnerable and low is upsetting. But being able to sit and hold their hand, or offer a shoulder to cry on is so rewarding.

Being there to help people shower and get ready in the mornings, or to take them shopping. Even just to sit and have a good old chat over a cup of tea. I could be the only person that they get to see that day, so its important to give them the attention and time they need. At the end of the day, that is why you are there.

Working all day and sometimes evenings too is difficult. Even though you do get breaks, it is still tiring. Driving from house to house to my different customers takes up a bit of time, but it also gives me time to adjust between each visit.

The appreciation you get from family and friends is overwhelming. Sometimes they just catch you as you are leaving and say "Thank you so much for everything that you do for my Dad/Mum. We have no idea how we would cope without you and all of your help." That makes it so worthwhile. That is why you are there. You are making such a big difference to your customers and their families lives.

For me, being a Bluebird Carer is the best job in the world.

Michael

Welcome to our blog!

Good morning all and welcome to our Bluebird Care Lincoln blog! Below is a link to a video promoting our current Every Visit Counts campaign. Here at Bluebird Care we are very passionate about making the lives of our customers the best they can be so are actively looking at ways to improve individual situations. Watch this space for pictures, videos, blogs from our brilliant carers and testimonials from our lovely customers.

http://www.everyvisit.co.uk/