Diary of a Care Assistant at Seton Hall
Jill is 45, lives in Tweedmouth and has worked at Seton Hall since 1998. She works on Arches unit, which has about 15 residents.
7.30am – arrive at Seton Hall. I meet with other staff and the Senior Care Officer on duty in the office for a handover. The night shift passes on any information I need to know, for example, Mrs G’s condition has worsened and the doctor is expected to call this morning.
7.45am – arrive on unit to start shift. I greet the residents with a cheery ‘good morning’ and help them to wash and dress. I also make their beds and tidy their bedrooms if necessary.
9.00am – serve breakfast in the dining room. The residents get a choice of fruit juice, cereal or porage, and toast and marmalade and tea or coffee. When they are finished, I clear away the dishes and lay the tables for lunch. I deliver the morning newspapers.
10.30am – serve tea and coffee to residents.
11.00am – Exercise to Music group for an hour. This is held on Mondays and Thursdays by a trained therapist, and two staff take part.
12.00pm – lunchtime for the residents. I serve the food, then clear away and stack the dishwasher. I also lay the tables for tea.
1.00pm – my lunch. The staff stagger their lunchtimes to make sure someone is always available to answer call bells from residents.
2.00pm – chat with residents on the unit. Tidy wardrobes and drawers as necessary.
2.15pm – Mrs A uses a zimmer frame but suffers from vertigo so can be unsteady. She rings the call bell, and I walk with her to the toilet.
3.00pm – teatime. I serve afternoon tea, then help residents to do a jigsaw puzzle.
4:00pm – enter any relevant entries to Care Plans of individual service users
4.30pm – serve teatime meal.
5.00pm – end of shift.
Top of page