Many people don’t know that care work is 24/7. If you are looking for a job that will fit around your life then it is very important to look into the typical shifts of Care Assistant jobs before you apply.
Early Morning Shifts
These shifts usually begin at 7am-2pm, enabling the care assistant to complete all client morning routines of bath/dress/ breakfast and assist clients to bed in the afternoon. These would be ideal for people wanting to finish work in the afternoon, so that they can go out in the evenings.
Split Shifts
Split shifts: 8am-12pm return to work 4pm-8pm. This is a very common form of home care work, and suits people who have fixed commitments in the middle of the day. The work follows the client’s needs, and so can be quite varied.
Weekend and Rota Work
Many care jobs will require some work on the weekends and this will usually be on a one-in-two or one-in-three rota basis. Some homes work on fixed rotas whereas others in home care will have more varied rotas.
Overnight and Sleep-In Shifts
Sleep-in shifts: These are typically overnight shifts, from 10pm to 7am the next morning. You are required to be on site during the night but are free to sleep during periods of inactivity. It is worth checking into the working hours and rest entitlements of any overnight work you are offered.
Bank and Flexible Hours
Bank staff work in care as and when needed. This can mean a lot of variety in their work and they have control over their hours but they are less predictable than other shifts. Care Assistant Jobs Galway is covered in more detail at www.caremark.ie/job-opportunities/care-assistant-jobs-galway.
Knowing the shift pattern beforehand will help you to assess whether the job will fit around your life.
