Home Maker
Pembroke House
Location: Gillingham, Kent
Salary: £12.60 per hour
Job type: Permanent, 36 hours per week
Pembroke House is a purpose-built care home for veterans of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines in Gillingham. We have been serving Royal Navy and Royal Marines veterans and their dependants for over 70 years. Our residents and staff enjoy a varied yet familiar way of life to encourage independence and give each day meaning and purpose. The home has a 'family-run' feel and we have carefully created a supportive, friendly and close-knit team, making it a unique and very special place to work.
The Job Role
A Home Maker is a spontaneous, warm, loving person who can help people feel at home, connect to each other and play a meaningful role in the household every day. At The RNBT, this role is the person who keeps an eye on the whole family's wellbeing and knows what is happening day to day in the house. The Home Maker uses their personality and confidence to inspire others.
When the Home Maker role is working well the home will be a busy and engaging place where ordinary life is going on and people are involved in the day-to-day activities that go on in any house. People living in the homes will be busy and involved in tasks such as dusting, polishing, cleaning windows, folding laundry – tasks that they may have fond memories of completing and will help them to feel useful.
This role is 36 hours a week, Pembroke House operates 365 days a year and so the post-holder may be required to work across any 7 days of the week.
Key responsibilities will include but not be limited to:
· Create a positive, homelike atmosphere in the communal areas of the house such as the dining or lounge areas.
· Be playful – encourage spontaneity such as dancing
· Take the lead on music and media – including when to use television and paying attention to the mood and energy or music at different times of the day
· Ensure people have access to regular drinks and snacks throughout the day and "keeping the kettle on" and creating fun and variety related to this
· Demonstrate a good knowledge of people's life stories and interest in the way people are engaged with
· Notice individuals who often get forgotten
· Offer lots of opportunities throughout the day for people to be involved in domestic and other activities such as laying tables, sweeping leaves, giving out biscuits etc
· Help people feel free to move around, to go outside, to accompany a team member in doing a task and to do things which have meaning for them
· Change up regular routines by doing something differently eg offering tea and coffee in the garden or organising a themed day
· Make mealtimes a social event in the day – create inviting smells in the lead up to a meal, lay out colourful and engaging tables and initiate interesting conversations
Ensure snacks and drinks are readily available on demand and dining room cupboards are adequately stocked as needed.
The full job description is available on request.
The Person
This role would suit someone who is naturally dependable, compassionate and trustworthy. They should be able to empathise with the needs of the residents, have patience and understanding and above all be kind and caring.
What we offer
In addition to a competitive salary we offer a generous suite of benefits to our employees including:
* Medicash Health Plan
* 6 weeks per annum pro-rata holiday
* 7% Employer Contribution Pension Scheme
* Cycle to Work Scheme
* Free on-site parking
* Eligibility for Blue Light Card
IMPORTANT: Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK. We are not able to offer sponsorship for this position.
Job Type: Permanent
Pay: Up to £12.60 per hour
Expected hours: 36 per week
Work Location: In person