Care Worker (36 hours per week) in Blackheath

About Me

We’re Morden College: an almshouse charity with a proud history of providing homes, support, and care for older people in south‑east London for over 300 years. Today, we’re building on that legacy with a clear and ambitious strategy focused on enabling our residents to live as independently, safely, and meaningfully as possible. We aim to create thriving communities where every person feels known, valued, and supported.

We provide almshouse accommodation and care services to over 250 older people across two sites in Blackheath and Beckenham, including our care home. Our vibrant and diverse resident community enjoys a wide range of events and activities, and each site offers welcoming spaces for socialising, including bars and Café 19 at the award‑winning John Morden Centre.

At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to dignity, purpose, and inclusion. We actively combat loneliness, challenge ageism, and promote healthy ageing. As part of the Morden College team, you’ll help foster social connection and contribute to a community where both residents and staff can thrive. We embrace equity, diversity, and technology to deliver sustainable, high‑quality services that make a lasting difference.

Morden College is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Job Purpose

As a Care Worker, your purpose will be to provide residents with a “good life” by promoting dignity, independence, choice and fulfillment within a policy of managed risk taking. You will provide person‑centred care to residents by assessing, monitoring and evaluating individual needs as well as providing comfort, security and making a difference to their daily lives. It’s important that you not only promote mental health and physical wellbeing to residents aiming to maximise their independence and meaningful engagement but also that you are able to update and maintain accurate care plans, records, assessments and are able to communicate this with families, GP’s, and other professionals.

Key Responsibilities and Duties

• To work within the household team to which you are assigned at each shift, operating with respect and kindness to residents and colleagues and promoting a harmonious team atmosphere.
• To be approachable, receptive, and reactive to resident needs, providing day‑to‑day personal care and responding in a timely manner to call bells and requests for assistance; to record and report any changes in a resident’s condition to the appropriate professional to ensure their wellbeing, security and safety.
• Be responsive and sociable within the dementia household ensuring the inclusion of the resident in all social and occupational activities designed to enhance, stimulate, develop, and maintain the highest quality of life and enjoyment within the home.
• Promote the mental and physical wellbeing of individuals living with dementia, including maximising their independence, and fostering an understanding of interventions and techniques for managing behavioural and psychological issues.
• Be aware of how to apply the principles of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) to protect people who lack capacity and maximise their ability to make decisions or participate in decision‑making.
• To assist in and deliver an ongoing programme of tailored and meaningful activities focused on maximising everyone’s wellbeing, independence, and social engagement, whilst nurturing and promoting their right to choose. Always responding positively and cheerfully to all enquiries, role‑modeling compassion and respect in all aspects of the care home.
• To take part in day‑to‑day activities, such as preparing light meals/snacks as required, washing up, cleaning spillages, clearing dining rooms etc ensuring a hygiene and odour free environment, encouraging residents wherever possible to be involved to foster a homely environment.
• To monitor resident’s dietary needs, likes and dislikes and checking weight fluctuations, recording in documentation, and ensuring changes and needs are acted upon speedily through good communication with colleagues.
• To prepare resident clothing for laundry and returning clothes to bedroom storage after inspecting for minor repairs, labelling etc.
• To ensure bed linen and laundry is collected, sorted and bagged ready for washing with adherence to colour coding/bagging of articles.
• To be familiar with Cullum Welch Court Policies and Procedures, to ensure compliance and understanding and safe practice, whilst providing a compassionate, warm, and caring environment.
• To enable good 2‑way communication with colleagues and residents, being supportive and inclusive and encouraging a culture of mutual respect. Additionally, contributing to close working relationships with all personnel and to help to build an open, honest, and happy culture that facilitates learning, creativity and excellence of delivery.
• To update care documentation, to include care and support plans, medication records, risk assessments and any other resident‑related documentation to ensure safe, person‑centred, efficient and effective working.
• To maintain good communication with families, GPs and other professionals to ensure continuity of care and enable systematic assessment, monitoring and review processes.
• During your shift, to be aware of your own Health and Safety obligations and those to other staff and residents in your household; and comply with good clinical, care governance practice and in accordance with safeguarding adults polities, CQC legislation as well as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
• To be the named worker of specific residents, monitoring their physical, psychological and social care needs, wellbeing, and personal preferences, including meaningful occupation and activities, dietary preferences, weight change etc to ensure person centred care is practised and timely interventions are implemented as necessary.
• Maintain skills and keep up to date with clinical developments and best practice in areas relevant to care delivery in the home.
• To attend all training as required and keep personal mandatory and legislative training up to date, always being open minded and progressive in your thinking.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

• Care Certificate
• QCF Level 2 Diploma in Health and Social Care
• QCF Level 2 Award in End of Life Care
• Experience in a residential care setting for older adults, including understanding of care responsibilities towards individuals, families and carers and team members in relation to safe‑guarding and health and safety procedures.
• Effective communication skills that promote the needs of people who use the service.
• IT literacy specifically Microsoft packages