In considering helping people with learning disabilities, the emphasis is often on a young demographic. We tend to associate most types of learning with a school or college environment, and this is often – although not always – the preserve of the young.
But adults with learning disabilities also need a great deal of help and support in their day-to-day lives. For some of these adults, support is provided within their own homes, but residential accommodation may be preferred for a variety of reasons. It’s essential to remember that each of these adult service users must have some say in the way their lives are structured. And that means taking the time to discover their likes and dislikes, their hopes, their fears and their wishes.
Providing help and support as and when it’s needed
When you start looking for care jobs in Southampton you’ll find plenty of options. But you need to determine where your skills could be best put to use. Care work isn’t all about helping with washing, dressing and personal care. There’s more to life than getting ready for the day ahead, so there’s a need to find out what activities, pastimes and hobbies each service user enjoys. Everyone is good at something, but sometimes you need to be quite creative to find out what can put a huge smile on a person’s face.
Many adults with learning disabilities struggle to make their needs and wishes understood. So it’s down to the carers to read a situation and take appropriate actions. That could be to safeguard a service user to prevent them from getting hurt, or to deflect attention away from something that could cause distress.
Finding suitable care jobs in Southampton
Wherever you happen to live, you’re certain to find plenty of caring opportunities in and around your local area. Start by deciding on the type of care work you’d like to get involved with. Some people feel naturally drawn towards helping children or young adults, whilst others would prefer to work with older adults. Or perhaps you’d just be happy to seize any opportunity to provide help and support to those in need of it.
Local media will often point you in the right direction for upcoming opportunities to work in the caring sector. But you can even be more proactive by identifying nursing and care homes nearby and approaching them directly. You don’t have to wait for adverts to crop up with care jobs in Southampton – try asking if there are any voluntary opportunities in the first instance.
Many of these homes are in need of extra support and will welcome you with open arms. Care home managers will often be more than happy to meet up with you to discuss your career options and suggest training courses that might be of benefit. So make the leap today and start working in a sector where you can make a positive impact on people’s lives.
