Who Works in a Care Home? A Comprehensive Look at Care Home Staff

Introduction To Care Home Staff – Who Works In A Residential Care Home?

A good care home will have many different types of care home staff working in various roles, from the front of house administrative staff on the reception, to the numerous people who keep the home running behind the scenes, helping residents on a day-to-day basis. So, whether you are looking to work in a care home, or you’d simply like to find out more about who works in a care home and the types of roles typically found, read on for our handy guide to care home staff

Care homes play a crucial role in providing support, assistance, and care for Vulnerable Adults who require extra help with daily activities or have specific healthcare needs. To ensure the smooth operation and well-being of residents, care homes employ a diverse range of dedicated professionals known as care home staff.

Here we show you the key roles and responsibilities of various care home staff members and highlight their responsibilities.

• Care Home Manager/Deputy Manager The care home manager is responsible for overseeing the overall operation of the care home. They ensure that policies and procedures are followed, manage care home staff, handle administrative tasks, and maintain regulatory compliance. The care home manager plays a vital role in creating a safe, supportive, and person-centred environment for residents. The Deputy Manager also undertakes these tasks and can take over in the Care Home managers’ absence.

• Care Assistants: Care assistants are the frontline workers in care homes. They provide direct care and assistance to residents, helping with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, eating, and mobility. They also offer emotional support and engage residents in social activities, promoting their overall well-being. Good care assistants are vital for helping to maintain the good health and well-being of residents in their care.

• Registered Nurses: Registered nurses in care homes are qualified healthcare professionals who provide specialised medical care and support. They assess residents’ health conditions, administer medications, perform medical procedures, and collaborate with doctors and other healthcare professionals to ensure proper healthcare management within the care home setting.

• Health and Social Care Professionals: Care homes may employ a range of health and social care home staff to cater to the diverse needs of residents. These professionals can include physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, and dieticians. They work collaboratively to provide specialised therapies, rehabilitation programmes, and personalised care plans to enhance residents’ quality of life.

• Activities Coordinators: Activities coordinators are responsible for organising and facilitating recreational and social activities within the care home. They develop engaging programmes that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being, fostering social interaction and reducing isolation among residents. These activities can include arts and crafts, games, outings, and entertainment. We’ve prepared a few activity ideas ourselves, which you can have a look at here.

• Catering and Housekeeping Staff: Care homes require dedicated catering and housekeeping staff to ensure residents’ comfort and maintain a clean and hygienic environment. Catering staff prepare nutritious meals, considering individual dietary requirements, while housekeeping staff maintain cleanliness, manage laundry services, and ensure a safe living environment for residents.

• Maintenance Personnel: To ensure the safety and security of residents, care homes employ maintenance personnel. They are responsible for maintaining the premises, addressing repair and maintenance needs promptly to protect residents and staff, and are integral Care Home staff.

Visitors to a care home, may not see all of these staff members regularly, but rest assured, care home staff are always working together to make a comfortable home for residents. Every member of care home staff is integral to the smooth running of a care home.

How many Care Home Staff Should There Be In A Residential Care Home?

We have written a separate informative article that covers how many staff members should be in a care home, you can read this article here. How Many Care Staff Per Resident Do You Need?

Conclusion: – Who Works in a Residential Care Home? A Comprehensive Look at Care Home Staff

Care homes rely on a team of people to provide comprehensive care and support to residents. From care assistants to registered nurses, health and social care professionals, activities coordinators, catering and housekeeping staff, and maintenance and security personnel, each role contributes to creating a nurturing and safe environment for residents. The dedication and expertise of care home staff enable residents to live fulfilling lives while receiving the assistance they need.

Here at Medilink Nursing, we understand how difficult it can be to recruit and oversee such a team of professionals. We can offer agency care home staff on a temporary basis to your care facility to help create immediate continuity of care for your residents. We have readily available HCA’s and nurses as well as other care home staff that means you can respond promptly to fluctuations in staff demands while avoiding strain on your permanent staff members.

We specialise in

Last-Minute Cover

We specialise in finding cover for homes at short notice. Last-minute illnesses and no-shows can be a disaster for the staff who do turn up – that’s why we’ve designed our system so that we can see which of our bank care staff are available, and get a call through to them ASAP.

Short-Term Cover

If you need somebody to cover for a fixed period of time (this is usually around a week to a month, but can be as much as a year), we can have this arranged. Often, this is used to cover staff on holiday or maternity leave.

Long-Term Cover

If you need cover for longer than a year, we can provide care home staff on a semi-permanent contractual basis.

Ad-Hoc Cover

Dentists appointment? Children’s sports day? We can provide cover for single shifts as and when they come up.

Block Bookings

For example, if you need an extra hand every Saturday, or every other Wednesday, we can arrange this all at once, in one booking, rather than taking a new booking every time that shift comes around.

1-to-1 Care

Many of our staff are trained in specialist areas, such as Dementia Care, Palliative Care, Overnight Care, and more. If you have residents who require some extra attention, give us a call, and we’ll find the best candidate for the job from our pool of bank care staff.

Want to find out more? Call us today on 0113 877 6383 – our lines are manned from 6:00am until 10:30pm – or email us at care@medilinknursing.com.