Job Title: Female Support Worker/Personal Care Assistant
Location: Chichester
Hourly rate: £12.00
Reference: DP4135
Hours/shifts: Monday-Friday, 9.00am-11.00am (10 Hours a week)

Summary 
• I am an adventurous 48 year old lady with muscular dystrophy and a full time wheelchair user
• I enjoy going out and seeing and experiencing new places
• I also like taking my dogs for a walk to the beach and the woods
• I am looking for experienced female support worker/PAs to help with personal care and domestic tasks.
• You may be required to accompany me on trips out later on e.g. shopping, art class.
• There will be some domestic cleaning tasks required e.g. vacuuming.

Other Requirements
• "Exemption is claimed under the Equality Act 2010 Part 1 Schedule 9."
• Must be comfortable with pets
• Must have a UK driving licence
• Must have access to own vehicle
• Other :
All applicants must be willing to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check
Successful applicants will be entitled to Holiday pay and will be issued employment contracts.

Description
Typical duties
Domestic -
Vacuuming
Laundry, hanging out to dry, ironing, putting away
Helping with laundry, washing and drying
Loading and unloading the washing machine
Loading and unloading tumble dryer/washing line
Changing bed linen
Bed making
General cleaning
Taking out rubbish
General housework, including cleaning, dusting and vacuuming.
Preparing drinks, snacks and meals.
Shopping
Maintenance of small garden, perhaps half an hour a week
Assist with grooming cats (training provided) – employer would help
Tidying
Correspondence e.g. reading letters, help writing replies, form-filling, assisting with household paperwork
Making phone calls on my behalf when I am too unwell to do this
Making tea for the employer's guests

Personal Care:
• Showering
• Hair washing/drying, brushing as required
• Dressing
• Help getting into and out of bath/shower as required
• To be on call when employer takes bath
• Assistance with applying cream
• General hair/skin care
• Catheter care
• Using the toilet
• Dressing and undressing/ helping with buttons and fastenings
• Getting into bed
• Assistance with getting out of bed using a hoist
• Getting in and out of the wheelchair ('transferring')
• Mealtimes e.g. cutting up food, assistance to eat
• Physiotherapy exercises

Social:
Later on may be required to assist with activities such as shopping, going to art class
• Accompanying and assisting employer on shopping trips when required
• Accompany employer when accessing social and leisure activities, like gigs
• Accompanying employer to doctors/hospital appointments when required
• Accompanying when clothes-buying, including help with un/dressing and lifting clothes on/off the rails.
• Occasional longer journeys
• Accompanying on trips out e.g. to the library, the vet, meditation classes, yoga for people with ME, to see family.
• Driving and accompanying to social events such as:
• Cinema
• Church
• University
• Evening meetings
• Accompanying on trips out e.g. to take photographs at the beach or in the woods or, visiting friends.
• Accompanying on trips out eg to the garden centre, beach, cinema, craft fairs, local visits, out shopping for fun, attending social events, attending therapies and disability group
• Accompanying to social meetings eg friends, family
• The above duties will involve driving the employer in the PA’s car, lifting the folding wheelchair in/out of car, pushing the employer’s wheelchair when out. Alternatively, I would use my walking stick.
• Whilst on duty at the employer’s home watching TV and assisting with craft activities
• Lifting the folding wheelchair in/out of car, pushing the employer’s manual wheelchair when out.

Person specification
The successful applicant will be:
• Female * due to personal care needs
• Happy to wear PPE – Including face mask and face shield
• Comfortable with dogs
• Respectful of the employer’s privacy and confidentiality
• Reliable with good time-keeping
• Able to both follow instructions and work on own initiative
• Hygienic, tidy minded and well organised
• Fit and healthy to undertake the required duties
• Patience and possess excellent interpersonal skills
• Honest and cheerful
• Creative
• Able to speak and read English to a reasonable standard
• Legally permitted to work in the United Kingdom
• Able to work at all times to high standards of Health & Safety
Previous experience preferred but this is not as essential as a kind and common sense approach to these roles.

Please note, if you are successful in your application for this position you will be employed directly by the individual employer and not Independent Lives