I’m thinking about going to the UK/Europe next year for a working holiday. Being Australian I can get a visa to work in the UK quite easily. One employment option that is marketed towards travellers is work as a live-in carer for clients who are disabled or elderly. There are a number of different agencies, with some offering contracts for as little as 6 weeks time and others requiring at least 3 months. (FTR, the ones that place people for 3+ months seem the most ‘backpacker friendly’…)
Money is good, meals and accommodation included.
Has anyone undertaken this kind of work before? I’m toying with whether it seems like something that I want to, or should, do or not. On one hand:
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It would be a chance to leave the tourist circuit and live like a local for a few months, which could be a good experience.
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Like I said, good pay + meals and accommodation seems like a pretty sweet deal.
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I actually think I wouldn’t be bad at it - My grandmother had motor neurone disease (I think, in the US this is called ALS? Lou Gehrig’s disease?) so I have some experience in this area. I’m a pretty patient person, and friendly and outgoing enough that I feel I could interact with the client’s friends, family, doctor etc with minimal issues.
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The lifestyle would be quiet, but this could be a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of travel/pub work (another potential employment stint).
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Sounds odd, but given that a lot of the issues the clients might face (spinal cord injury, disability at a young age etc) kind of scare me, I think it might be good to gain more exposure to this stuff. It is a part of life after all.
On the other hand:
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I worry that I’m not doing it for the best reasons. After all, I have no intent of working long-term in health care. Sure, the agencies don’t seem to mind that, but would the clients?
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Wiping people’s butts and so on? Eek. There’s exposure and there’s exposure.
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Lack of my own social life/independence. Most agencies have a strict no-alcohol policy while you’re employed. I’m not a huge party animal (and besides, I think I’ll have ample opportunity to party during the rest of my time away) but this might affect me more than I think.
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Personal clash with clients. What if I accept a placement for what sounds like a lovely little lady and she turns out to be a total bitch whose life I have to immerse myself in for 3 months?
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I currently still live with my parents, so while I’m pretty independent and capable of cooking, cleaning and so forth I’ve never (apart from a few weeks at a time) actually run a household. Would this be a greater challenge than I expect?
Experiences from anyone who’s done this kind of work, or from those on the other side who’ve employed live-in carers for themselves or loved ones, would be helpful. Also, anyone, feel free to give your opinion on whether this would be a good or bad move for me.
Thanks.