Flight attendant who became a care worker says 'I love that every day is different'

Emma Capon, who was based in Dubai working as a flight attendant for Emirates Airlines when the Covid-19 pandemic hit last spring, is now using her experience in customer service and hospitality in her new role as a care worker.

After being a flight attendant for six years, Ms Capon, 31, returned to the UK after being made redundant in June 2020.

It was tough at first to adjust to being made redundant and having to leave the country she’d made her home.

Ms Capon said: “I was completely devastated when this happened to me. I loved living abroad and I wasn’t ready to come back. But after a while, I tried to embrace it. It was no-one’s fault and I just had to focus on growing and getting experience in something new.”

Ms Capon decided to make the move into home care after friends and family suggested she would enjoy a career caring for others.

“People had always mentioned in the past that I’d do well with caring. I’ve got a lot of empathy and I’ve always enjoyed going the extra mile for people.

“Once I looked into it, I realised it was something I could really see myself going into. But I didn’t want to go and work for any care sector company just to get money. I wanted to work for the right company where they treat you as a family, look after you and look after their clients.”

'I’d learnt first aid and handled medication when people boarded flights with health conditions'

Once Ms Capon came across Radfield Home Care Stamford, Peterborough & Rutland, it was the perfect fit. She’s now fully trained, has earned her care certificate and has been a care worker for six months.

Though caring during a pandemic isn’t always easy, Ms Capon’s previous experience has helped her make a success of it.

“I realised I already knew all about customer service, hospitality and working with people. I’d even learnt first aid and handled medication when people boarded flights with health conditions. I think the experiences I built up over my life have led up to what I’m doing now.”

Despite her unexpected change in circumstances, Ms Capon is now loving her new role and the freedom it gives her.

“As a flight attendant, my lifestyle was very unhealthy. Now I love that every day is different. As a carer, you build a rapport with people. You look forward to seeing them and they look forward to seeing you. I also like getting out and about and driving between visits.”

She now plays a vital role as a care worker, caring for older people who need support during the pandemic.

James Beech, owner and director of Radfield Home Care Stamford, Peterborough & Rutland, said: “We were very lucky to find Emma. She is caring, reliable and professional and a great example of how we can utilise some fantastic transferable skills to the benefit of older people in our community. We would love to find more people like her!”

Ms Capon has shared her own message to others who may have found themselves in similar situations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

“At first when you lose your job, you feel lost and angry. But you have to keep telling yourself that this has happened for a reason. Day by day and bit by bit, things do get better.”

homecare.co.uk, the leading reviews site for homecare, has a jobs section for people looking for a job in care. To view the jobs available click here

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