One question you might ask before you start working as a live-in carer is whether you will always be working on your own with your client. It’s a good question to ask, and the answer is that you may not always be on your own.

Many clients need more than one carer to help them, particularly if they need to be hoisted and moved from place to place in a wheelchair. Additionally, they may need two people to help with personal care.

Clients who need more than one carer are often unable to use their own body weight to move. They most likely will not be weight bearing. By this we mean that they are unable to help themselves to a standing position and cannot stand alone.

In situations like this one carer normally cannot help the client into a standing position and a hoist comes into play. Most agencies prefer that two carers are employed where hoisting is used, although there are some agencies where only one carer is in place.

Whether you work with another carer or not is your choice. Some carers prefer not to and opt to only work in single carer placements.

There is always the chance that you may not get on very well with the second carer and this will cause a bad atmosphere for as long as you are together.

Occasionally there are conflicts between carers as to who is in charge and who has the final say about decisions. Theoretically there should be no argument because all carers from the same agency have received the same training and should be ‘on the same page.’ Unfortunately, this does not always happen, and conflicts may arise. If you cannot sort them out between yourselves, then approaching the agency to clarify things is a good idea.

Overall though, two carers work out well, particularly when with a client who cannot communicate very much. Having another person there is company. Most two carer positions work out well and may even develop into a lasting friendship.

On the practical side, insisting that you only want to work in a one-carer placement means that you are cutting down your availability for work and you may find yourself with no client while the agency fills placements with other carers. So, it is a good idea to think seriously about the reason you only want to work in a single carer placement.

To sum up

Not every double carer placement is perfect but most of the time you can learn to get along with the other person.

Most double carer placements do not last very long, because the client may be in a palliative situation. Sometimes family will intervene and use the services of a care home because of the double fees for two carers.

Insisting on only working alone reduces your chance of work significantly, just the same as only working in a certain region and only with female clients.

Keeping an open mind on a two-carer position will mean that you arrive with a good attitude which will carry you through the booking. Who knows – you may even end up as friends!

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