The Gazette is taking part in a campaign to raise awareness about the need for more professional carers in London. We spoke to a carer who’s been looking after people for eight years, and found out why it’s just as rewarding after nearly a decade in the industry.
Misconceptions about care work are the worst thing about the job, according to carer Adewale Olabisi.
“People think it’s a dirty job,” he said. “It’s not a dirty job.”
Adewale, 40, has been a care worker for eight years. “I’ve never once questioned what I’m doing,” he said. “In caring, you find someone you really care about.”
Adewale’s day begins at 8am and lasts 12 hours. He’ll visit up to seven clients throughout – some just once, some twice, some as many as four times.
Tasks range from taking them to the bathroom to doing their cleaning, going shopping or helping with laundry.
“I do whatever needs doing. When I go there in the morning, my job is to make sure they’ve got everything they need by the time I’ve left.”
Adewale began as a carer for Mayfair Homecare in 2013, three years after moving to England from Nigeria to get married. He chose care work because of a passion for talking to people – care work is a career where getting to know new people is a given.
“I knew that helping people out is what would make me happy,” he said. “I wanted to put a smile on people’s faces.”
His clients’ disabilities are varied; he looks after people who’ve suffered strokes, heart problems and asthma. “I’m constantly learning,” he said. “Equipment is changing all the time, so we always have to get taught how to use it.”
He’s had training in first-aid and patient handling. Some tasks are more serious than others – like assisting with medication – so a level of trust has to be built. But the challenges of the job are no deterrent.
“I do my job simply to make sure everyone feels OK. At the end of the day, we all like everything to be OK – we all like to live without worry.”
His commitment is clearly recognised by his clients as well; earlier in the year he was nominated for a Dignity in Care award.
And the enthusiasm shows no signs of waning, as he dreams of one day owning his own care home. Asked how hard that might be, he replied:
“When you have a passion for something, it makes it easy to do.”
Visit londoncarejobs24.co.uk.
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