The main reason I wanted to become a carer is to help people. We have an ever increasing aged population, and not all of these people have the support of family and friends to assist them.
Doing this work would also give me the opportunity to meet a wide variety of older people and make a huge difference in their quality of life. I think getting up to go to work would be more meaningful knowing that what I do would have a positive impact on the clients I would be assisting.
During my work placement at BallyCara, I was working with residents on a regular basis, assisting with the activities of daily living. In addition to this, and as time allowed, I got to know a lot about the lives of the residents. They were full of interesting stories and facts about themselves, or a time they lived through. Unlike most people you come across in work, the elderly love putting time aside to share their experiences. It was enjoyable and rewarding to learn about their history, allowing me to get to know them better. At the end of the day, I felt a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
I consider myself to be a very patient person, As caring for others can be demanding at times, I think patience is a useful skill. Also, I love to talk, and listen, and learn about people. It's just nice to know that I'm helping them to enjoy their lives a bit more.
Some of my hobbies include: Cooking, gardening, walking the dog (though sometimes, he walks me!), watching movies and TV shows, listening to music, playing guitar. I like being outdoors and enjoying the sunshine, or going out for a nice lunch somewhere. I also enjoy driving and discovering new places.
I have a background in computers. I use a variety of software, but I've always had the ability to learn about new software and tools to do all sorts of things, whether it's compiling a list of my CDs, converting them to digital files to play on my computer or other devices, or design forms and spreadsheets.
I'm a friendly person, can talk to people on a variety of topics, and love telling jokes. I love learning about others, so I'm a good listener. I like working alone, and with others, and get along with just about anybody.
I'm not a trade specialist, but I have a good range of tools, and like repairing things, and doing home maintenance. I've done a bit of landscaping around my garden, making garden beds, paving, and laying artificial turf.
