When you imagine a role in health and social care, there could be a few typical images you bring to mind. They include helping with daily tasks, such as personal care and hygiene, and completing household tasks. There are also the unseen sides of social care, such as providing emotional support and teaching life skills.
However, several surprising and fun parts are common during a day’s work in social care, but not in most other people’s 9-5 jobs. Care and support work involves forming meaningful connections, so the job description and duties can stretch to activities that don’t feel like work! Let’s take a look at some of the more unexpected sides of working in social care.
Social care involves work where you support someone with their daily life. You could be helping someone with mental health needs, learning and physical disabilities or complex care needs. The role involves helping them live independently, lead full lives and achieve personal goals. It’s a broad remit!
Of course, it’ll likely involve helping with personal care, supporting them at meal times and helping with medications and appointments. However, it can also involve encouraging users to make life choices, creating a safe space and environment for discussion and helping them express themselves. There will also be days when you’ll have a coffee and a chat, take a trip to the zoo and go for picnics in the park.
Keep reading to learn more about three core areas where social work tasks might surprise you…
Support work involves helping people live happy and independent lives. Part of that revolves around connecting with the local community. Your role can involve an element of socialising, visiting community spaces and supporting someone to attend events.
There’s a broad spectrum of ways you can help someone be a part of their community. It could be something relatively small, such as visits to the library or a community centre. On the other hand, it could be a momentous occasion, such as attending a street party, a charity coffee and cake event or a festival. You and the person you support will feel the benefits of talking with others and enjoying different experiences.
Along with practical tasks and focusing on life skills, your working day should also include some joy and fun for the person you are caring or supporting. If they have specific hobbies and interests, then it’s part of your role to facilitate that. The role involves being a companion, so you could keep them company and help them with shopping, photography or completing crosswords.
Besides being relaxing and entertaining, hobbies help the people you support work on their skills. It could be memory, motor skills or communication. You’d be surprised at what kind of tasks come up when it comes to their interests. For example, you could play games on the PlayStation or arrange flowers from their garden.
Alongside helping the person you support meet their friends and enjoy their hobbies, you could also be part of them getting active. Sometimes, it could be assisting them to attend facilities where they can play their favourite sport, or you might help find ways for them to move more.
A game of table tennis, swimming or a walk might be part of your weekly plan. Physical activity is an excellent way to form connections and combat loneliness. Besides improving fitness and strength, it can also be an excellent way to manage stress, boost self-esteem and get a better night’s sleep.
As with community activities and hobbies, you’ll both feel the benefits. Exercise can give you an energy boost when completing your caregiving duties and make you feel better about yourself.
You might be interested in care and support work because you’ve heard it’s rewarding and the tasks are varied. However, most people don’t know just how many aspects make up care and support roles. You’re always a professional, but in one day, you could play the role of educator, support and companion.
On top of that, you’ll be instrumental in helping them have fun, staying active and exploring their personality and likes through hobbies. Most importantly, care and support workers are vital links in the chain between the people they support and their communities.
While all of that shows just how important the role is and makes it more rewarding, it also brings a lot of unexpected moments and fun. These moments add to your job satisfaction, keep you motivated, and make you look forward to going to work… and not everyone can say that!