At a Glance
- Tasks: Support and care for residents, ensuring their safety, dignity, and well-being.
- Company: Join Friends of the Elderly, a charity with over 120 years of experience in care.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous leave, pension contributions, wellbeing support, and retail discounts.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team in a vibrant community-focused environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of older people every day.
- Qualifications: 2 years of care experience and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 24000 - 30000 £ per year.
Contract type: Permanent – Full Time 42 hours per week (average). Working Pattern: Days - working on rolling rota of 3 consecutive days on and 3 consecutive days off (8am to 8pm).
About Us
Friends of the Elderly (FotE) is a not-for-profit charity dedicated to providing excellent care with a family feel. We have been supporting older people for over 120 years. The charity provides care home and day care services for older people, as well as grants for older people in financial difficulty.
About Friends Place, Calcot
Friends Place, Calcot is more than just a care home - it’s a vibrant, welcoming community designed to provide exceptional residential, dementia, and respite care. Run by Friends of the Elderly, we pride ourselves on delivering personalised, compassionate care in a state-of-the-art facility. Located in the heart of Calcot, Reading, our home features a cinema, a salon, a tea room, and a vibrant bar designed to create a warm and homely environment where residents feel safe, valued, and supported.
As our home grows, we have an opportunity for Senior Care Assistants to join us. Joining us as a Senior Care Assistant, you will be working as part of a dedicated team and will act as a key worker for a named group of residents. You will assist with formulation and maintenance of residents’ care plans to deliver person-centred care, unique to each individual, and support and enable our residents to maintain key skills, personal interests, independence, choice, and dignity, so that they can lead fulfilled lives. You will make sure our residents are safe and comfortable. You will act as a champion for their safety and dignity. You will support the Care Manager with leading the team in providing quality, individualised care for our residents in line with procedures and policies. You will make sure that clear, accurate records are kept. You’ll follow our procedures for administering and dispensing medication. You will maintain a safe, clean workplace and follow infection control protocols.
To succeed in this role, you will need great communication and interpersonal skills, so that you can form great relationships with your residents and effectively handover information to colleagues. Number and digital skills are also required along with the ability to problem solve and adapt to situations, and to recognise and report situations where there might be a need for safeguarding. You will have at least 2 years’ experience in a care setting, ideally with an NVQ Level 3 or equivalent, or working towards it. You will be able to take the initiative, be hardworking, have a compassionate nature, and a positive can-do attitude. We’ll provide you all the outstanding training and tools that you need; all we ask is a willingness to learn and a genuine enthusiasm to encourage others to live their lives to the full. This isn’t just a job; it’s about making a difference to older people’s lives every day.
Why Join Friends of the Elderly?
This is a unique opportunity to shape the culture and success of our newest care home, leaving a lasting impact on residents’ lives and the community. In return for your hard work and dedication, you can look forward to a wealth of benefits:
- Group Pension Plan, with a 6% contribution from us.
- Generous annual leave.
- Wellbeing support through various initiatives, including an assistance programme offering coaching and counselling support.
- Learning, development, and progression opportunities.
- Retail discounts to make your salary go further.
- Access to loans at affordable rates, saving directly from salary and advance pay already earned.
- Health cash plans for you and your family.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Long service awards that increase with length of service.
- Refer a friend to work for us and receive a £200 bonus.
- Evening, weekend, and bank holiday enhancements to pay.
- Uniforms are provided.
- Free DBS checks.
Safeguarding: Keeping everyone safe is one of the charity’s core values, and is central to everything we do at Friends of the Elderly. All staff follow our Safeguarding Policy & Procedures and, if they see or suspect abuse, we expect staff to report it straight away.
Criminal record checks: As this role involves a regulated activity, successful applicants will undertake an enhanced DBS check, with barred lists check, and any offer of employment will be dependent on a satisfactory outcome. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar a person from working for us; this will depend on the circumstances and background of any record.
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: Friends of the Elderly strives to treat all staff equally and be a diverse and inclusive workplace, where everyone can be themselves and everyone accepts each other’s differences. Our ambition is to ensure equality and celebrate diversity, all working together to create an inclusive workplace, which attracts and retains the best people. People that care and can make a difference.
We currently do not provide sponsorship but we welcome applications from those who have a right to work in the UK. Don’t delay in sending your application as we may need to close the vacancy early if we manage to appoint before the advertising closing date. We interview applicants as they apply.
Senior Care Assistant - Lead Resident Care in Reading employer: Friends of the Elderly
At Friends of the Elderly, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the lives of older people. Our vibrant care home in Calcot offers a supportive and inclusive work culture, with extensive training and development opportunities, generous benefits including a group pension plan and wellbeing support, and a commitment to equality and diversity. Join us to be part of a compassionate team that values your contributions and empowers you to grow while providing personalised care in a state-of-the-art facility.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Care Assistant - Lead Resident Care in Reading
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company! Before your interview, do a bit of research on Friends of the Elderly. Understand their values and mission, especially how they focus on personalised care. This will help you connect your experience with what they’re all about.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice makes perfect! Think about common interview questions for care roles and rehearse your answers. Focus on your experience in providing compassionate care and how you’ve handled challenging situations in the past.
✨Tip Number 3
Show your passion! During the interview, let your enthusiasm for working with older people shine through. Share stories that highlight your commitment to making a difference in their lives, as this is key for a role at Friends of the Elderly.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. It shows your appreciation for the opportunity and reinforces your interest in the position. Plus, it keeps you fresh in their minds!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Care Assistant - Lead Resident Care in Reading
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Care:When writing your application, let your passion for caring for older people shine through. Share personal experiences or stories that highlight your commitment to providing compassionate care and how you can make a difference in their lives.
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to tailor your application to the specific role of Senior Care Assistant. Highlight relevant skills and experiences that align with the job description, such as your ability to create person-centred care plans and your experience in a care setting.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon. This will help us understand your qualifications and experiences quickly, making it easier for us to see why you’d be a great fit for our team.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our fantastic team at Friends of the Elderly.
How to prepare for a job interview at Friends of the Elderly
✨Know Your Care Principles
Before the interview, brush up on the key principles of person-centred care. Be ready to discuss how you would implement these in your role as a Senior Care Assistant, especially in relation to maintaining residents' dignity and independence.
✨Showcase Your Communication Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your communication and interpersonal skills. Think about times when you've successfully built relationships with residents or worked effectively within a team, as these are crucial for the role.
✨Demonstrate Problem-Solving Abilities
Be ready to discuss specific situations where you've had to adapt quickly or solve problems in a care setting. This could involve safeguarding issues or responding to residents' needs, so think of relevant scenarios to share.
✨Express Your Passion for Care
Let your genuine enthusiasm for making a difference in older people's lives shine through. Share why you want to work at Friends of the Elderly and how you align with their values of compassion and community.
