A day in the life of a Senior Carer

After being a carer at one of our busy nursing homes for more than seven years Virgil Maciu knows that no two days are the same.

Virgil, who came to the UK from Romania has been a carer at Albany care home in Oxford and says the most important thing is to focus on the job and remember you are helping others to lead their best lives.

Albany is a busy home run by a close knit team in Headington. Albany provides residential and dementia care and has a good reputation in the local area. The team work hard to ensure that all the residents in the 38 bed home lead full and happy lives.

“I come into work every day and focus on the job, leaving any personal or home worries at the door. I love the residents here and they love me, I want to make them happy and have a good life – if I do that then I can lay my head on the pillow and sleep happily at night,” he said.

Virgil is a senior carer and leads a team at the home so each day it is his responsibility to make sure the rotas are in place and that everyone has arrived for work. He is well respected by his team who know they can turn to him for help and advice whenever they need it.

“I walk the floor, talk to the night team in case there is anything to pass on to us and then it is time to start helping the residents to get up and ready to start the day and have breakfast,” he said.

Our residents all have different routines, depending on their needs, and it is important to get to know them and know their routines – tea in bed and then get up, a shower, sit and read the paper or straight down to breakfast? It’s the little details which make care plans more personal. In the morning Virgil will take time to talk to the residents and see how everyone is feeling or if anything needs passing on to the nursing team or the Home Manager.

Working in the care home was his first job in the UK with his last job in Romania on a building site as a labourer. He had been involved in caring for his elderly grandparents so was confident he would enjoy a role in caring. His wife works as a nurse.

“It’s very different work to being outside on a building site but it is a job which I am thankful for and which I love. I am happy here and love the residents and the team – they are like a family for me, which is fantastic as many of my family members I have left behind in a different country,” said Virgil, who added he has been well supported in his role by Healthcare Homes as a company and by the team at Albany.

Once breakfast is over there is personal care for residents then usually the morning activities. Activities in the care home can include visiting groups and entertainers, arts and crafts or one to one sessions in a resident’s room if that is their preference.

At Albany as many of the staff as possible get involved in the activities with the residents. Virgil enjoys taking part in the seasonal activities and observing traditional days and festivals such as Christmas, Valentine’s Day and the upcoming Coronation of King Charles III. The care team can also help at meal times, with a variety of different diets being catered for and some residents who need help to eat and drink.

Afternoons can be quieter for some residents or there may be a second activity session. Virgil can use this time to make sure rotas and paperwork are up to date. He could also be welcoming a new resident into the home and making sure they are settled, or talking with relatives.

Virgil came to the UK with his wife and daughter, looking for a new life for the family and a good education for his daughter – she has just started a degree course at University College London (UCL) and Virgil could not be a prouder dad.

“It is a privilege to work in care, spending your working day helping people to live their lives, and spreading a smile in the process whenever possible. I am very happy in my work, I know I am making a difference.”

For more about working as a carer at one of our homes see our website careers page www.healthcarehomes.co.uk/careers

Pip Rich