Live-in care worker says it is 'not a job' but a passion where you build up 'trust and friendship'

Aimie Nalukwago has been a live-in carer for around 15 years and says it is “not a job” but a passion where you can "give them more time" to be cared for and build up a "mutual friendship."

Since the start of the pandemic, the demand for home care has risen. A survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of the Homecare Association, found 80 per cent out of 2,618 people polled would choose to receive care in their own homes rather than anywhere else and 38 per cent of those aged 65+ are more likely to opt for home care since the pandemic.

, based in Andover is a company where they introduce self-employed professionally trained carers to move into someone’s home full time to live with them and support their care needs 24 hours a day. They assist with specific needs to help them live as independently as possible, whether it is helping with daily tasks, personal care or specialist medical care.

Ms Nalukwago has been a live in carer for her present client for just over a month. Previous to this, she had been working with another client since 2018. “For me, it’s not a job. I am so happy being around people. When I joined Access Care, I got that opportunity to be happy all the time because you build up trust and friendship.

“When you are living in someone’s home, it is always up to us to always ask what time will they want to wake, are they happy to take a bath today? Are you happy having your bath in the morning or afternoon? You are concentrating on that one person; they are getting all the benefits while you are getting to know them.

“With live in care you can really give them more time where they feel more comfortable, and they trust you.

“It is a two way thing. I have to be happy and the client has to be happy.”

'We are constantly there to comfort them through their final days'

Ms Nalukwago started working in a care home in 2008 where she worked with people with dementia but found she did not have quality time to spend with the resident.

“I found it was all about time. The resident does not get the time they need. It’s all about rushing and routines. When you have finished with your shift, you go home.

“If the resident doesn’t want to get out of bed, you have to get them out of bed because breakfast is waiting for them because you have finished your shift and you want to go home.”

With live in care, Ms Nalukwago says you have to take more responsibility “because this is your client night and day. I know you still work with other teams such as social workers and families, but this is your responsibility.

“When we are dealing with end of life, we are constantly there to comfort them through their final days as well as comfort the family members as they come in and at first, they are very shocked but seeing someone there helping their relative they become very strong.”

’You can’t just put them to bed and go to the pub’

Access Care has been arranging live in care since 1994, where they recruit and match private live-in carers who are registered as self-employed. The agency look at hobbies and interests, their family, education, background, cooking, and housekeeping skills. The company will hand-pick a selection of potential live in carers to present to the client for consideration.

Ms Nalukwago says, “The client looks at your profile to decide if you are compatible. It has to work on mutual friendship. You have to ask yourself are you happy with that client and is that client happy with you? Because the relationship you build is the relationship which makes you want to work harder.

“Once compatible, the hours are worked out between the client, family and the live-in carer to suit all.

“There are quite a lot of people searching for a live-in carer. If you are serious about becoming a live-in carer, you must have the passion. You can’t do this job unless you love it.

“It is not easy as some of us work from Monday to Sunday with only a two-to-three-hour break because you are part of their lives.

“When you take on someone, they are your responsibility. You need to be there even after you have put your client to bed. You can’t just put them to bed and go to the pub. You are there for them all the time.”

'You have to learn to build that trust'

Regarding time off, Ms Nalukwago says: “It depends on the client. Sometimes your rota is one or two weeks and another client might want you for six weeks.

“If you are happy to work six weeks then you can negotiate three weeks off and then if the client is happy you can go back to that client.

“You and your client decide how you work out things. You have to learn to build that trust.”

In an emergency, “we still have to cover other clients in an emergency if say a carer is off sick, training or on holiday.”

Even during her time off, Ms Nalukwago who previously trained as a nurse and worked with the NHS devotes her spare time helping out at her local hospital.

“I work with the mental team in Hampshire. I sometimes work on the trauma ward as a support worker and sometimes I work in the Priory.”

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