Supported Living

#YouCanCare is one of the biggest weeks in the health and social care calendar, and as a national awareness day, it is a key date to educate the nation on all things care.

At Radis Community Care, we do our best to support, encourage and educate carers across England and Wales all year round, but we like to highlight this annual event to raise even more awareness of the industry.

What is You Can Care Week?

The week-long campaign shines a spotlight on the crucial roles within the health and social care sector, and the truly positive impact that carers have on not just the individuals they care for, but friends, families and local communities, too.

This year, #YouCanCare takes place from 12^th February to 18^th February, and has proven to be a huge success since the campaign first launched in 2018.

Now, in its seventh year, #YouCanCare continues to promote recruitment, encourage career changes and remind people of the appreciation we should have for carers.

It also promotes the versatility of caring as a career – anybody can become a carer, there really are no limitations.

The values needed to work in care

At Radis, you don’t need to have years of experience to become a carer. In fact, you don’t need any experience at all.

Instead, becoming a carer requires a particular set of values and skills. These include:

• Being kind and compassionate
• Being empathetic
• Being flexible and reliable
• Being patient and respectful
• Having great social skills
• Promoting independence
• Maintaining confidentiality
• Being a strong communicator

The benefits of working in care

It’s safe to say that not many jobs are as rewarding as being a carer. The level of job satisfaction is like no other, and no two days are ever the same. Every client is different, which means every day is different, too.

A simple visit to somebody in receipt of care can make their entire day. As a carer, you may be the only person they speak to, and they will really cherish and appreciate any care, support, conversation and interaction they receive.

Knowing that you have made a real difference to a person’s day, week and life in general means that you will be going home with a huge smile at the end of each day.

Not only that, but being a carer means you’re in a job that has the potential to be flexible, meaning you’re able to have a healthy work-life balance.

Radis takes on #YouCanCare Week 2024

At Radis, we take immense pride in the way that we care for our clients and residents, and for this year’s #YouCanCare Week, we’ve caught up with a few members of the Radis team about their journey within the social care sector.

Many of our carers come from a wide range of backgrounds. From police officers and carpenters to supermarket and factory workers, our roster of carers haven’t always been in the health and social care sector.

Our support worker Luke, has more than a decade’s experience as a carpenter – but swapping tools for caring, Luke uses the skills he has learnt over the years to deliver an excellent level of service to people he cares for. Communication, teamwork and attention to detail are just a few of the transferable skills Luke has learned along the way.

Luke encourages everybody who is considering it, to give a career in care a go. He said, “What I love most is connecting with everyone here. When I first started, I didn’t know how I’d get on as I’d never worked in care before, but I’m a people person and I have great job satisfaction. I have a connection with the people we support, and I’m proud to see how happy it makes them doing new things and learning new life skills”.

Before joining Radis as a care worker, Julie worked in a supermarket and uses her people skills to deliver quality care to her clients. She said, “I love making people’s day and making them feel like they’re number one”.

Carl worked in a factory making car parts prior to being a carer at Radis, and the communication and teamwork skills that he learned on the factory floor, enables him to provide first-class care to his clients. He said, “I’ve enjoyed every moment. It can be demanding at times, but I like seeing the smiles on the faces of the people I care for”, describing becoming a carer as the “best decision he’s ever made”.

Radis continues to support its carers and employees throughout You Can Care Week and beyond.

The importance of talking to combat mental health and loneliness

Time to Talk Day is the UK’s largest mental health conversation, ran by Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, in partnership with Co-op.

Sometimes, a conversation is all it takes. And, this Time to Talk Day, as a leading care provider, the entire team at Radis Community Care continue to encourage the people we support to start a conversation so that they don’t suffer in silence.

In many cases, conversations about mental health can be hard but it doesn’t always have to be that way. We are firm believers in making things interactive and engaging so that conversations happen naturally, authentically and are a little less daunting for all involved.

For some of our residents, they may not have any friends or family members close by, therefore rely on the time and company of our carers.

Sometimes, it’s the little things that can make the biggest difference. So, here’s a checklist on how to check in with your loved ones and start a conversation about mental health.

1. Check in with them

Ask how they’re doing – how they’re really doing. And if you feel the need, ask twice. Use open-ended questions to get more than a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’, and subtly encourage those conversations.

2. Put the kettle on

It might sound cliché, and we know that it doesn’t actually fix anything, but sometimes all people want or need is a cup of a tea, a slice of cake and a bit of company. In this case, it’s about much more than a cup of tea, but what goes with it – the conversation that follows, being put at ease and having that bit of comfort.

3. Read between the lines

Some people aren’t big talkers, so look out for some other signs that they may be struggling. Are they quieter than usual, do they seem withdrawn or distant? Look out for physical symptoms, too. This can include lack of appetite, insomnia and restlessness.

4. Offer reassurance

Not everybody will want to talk – but in these instances, it is perhaps even more important to offer reassurance. Let them know you’re there for them, leave a leaflet for them to read through, and reassure them that they aren’t alone.

5. Listen

When somebody opens up to you, or begins to start those important conversations about mental health and loneliness, ensure that you really listen. And importantly, take the time to react appropriately.

At Radis, we believe it is crucial for the people we support to feel relaxed, comfortable and at home with our carers. And by getting involved in our various activities, this allows people to switch off and this is when the conversations can really start.

Many of our clients utilise our services to combat loneliness, and often, when you think of a carer, you think of them taking care of a person’s physical health. But quite often, carers are a lifeline to those battling with mental health issues and loneliness, too.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Radis Community Care blog.

Here, you can expect to be kept up to date with the latest industry news and will find a whole host of advice on caring for a loved one, as well as our very own business updates.

Our blog will provide you with everything you need to know about Radis Community Care, as well as all of our services and which one is best suited to you and your family.

We’d love for you to get involved and share our articles to help people who may be searching for support and encourage them to keep their independence without compromising their health and wellbeing.

At Radis Community Care, we strive to make positive differences to people’s lives by providing outstanding, quality care within the community.

Founded by brothers Deepesh and Samir Patel, Radis was established in 2001 and over the years, has grown to become an industry leading community care provider across England and Wales, employing over 2,500 staff and supporting over 3,000 individuals.

Who do we support?

At Radis, we support thousands of vulnerable adults and children with varying needs and at various levels.

Whether you or a loved one are in need of care or support, we’re here to help.

Here at Radis Community Care, whether you have a learning disability, physical illness, neurological condition, or simply require a little more support as you get older – we can provide as much, or as little care as you need and would like.

What services do we offer?

We understand that everybody’s needs are entirely different, which is why the support we offer is never the same.

At Radis, we provide a unique, bespoke and tailored service to each of our clients – ensuring that the care they receive is exactly what they need from fully trained carers.

Whether you need some short-term support whilst you recover from an illness or your family carer is on holiday, would like long-term care and support in the comfort of your own home, are moving into an Extra Care or Supported Living Service or require complex care, we can do it all and everything in between.

Our services include:

• Visiting care
• Live-in care
• Extra care
• Supported living
• Complex care
• Children’s support

What makes us different?

We’re more than just carers. Caring is a way of life to our entire team and we strive to encourage our clients to remain independent to enhance their lives.

In some cases, clients may just want to live a life without loneliness or isolation – which is also where we come in.

Our support isn’t just physical and medicinal, but often emotional, too. Whatever you need, we’ll be there.

So, if you or a loved one need a little (or a lot) of help and support, then get in touch.

We’ll work together to create a bespoke care packaged tailored to your exact needs.

For more information on the services on offer at Radis Community Care or to enquire about how we can help you as a care provider, contact us today.