Home Based Care Assistant

Penelope Nelson

HealthCare Assistant/Caregiver/Support Worker/ Care Assistant

Randburg,Johannesburg,Gauteng, South Africa.

*****.*******@******.*** +27-082-***-****

Professional Profile

A qualified, empathetic, compassionate, and professional healthcare assistant with almost 10 years experience in care support.

2 years home based bed-bather in a Hospice Home based Environment; 2.75 months in a hospital as a

Patient Care Assistant; 7.5 years as primary carer to my father (Alzheimer’s Disease). Delivering high quality care resulting in making a difference in the clients’ life. Good interpersonal skills; investing in respect, honesty, patience, and tolerance. I am competent in doing the job and will engage in any further training needed. Reliable and dependable; focusing hugely on attention to detail. I am hard working; a problem solver; and committed to my job and the task at hand. Practising palliative care has taught me to embrace a deeper sense of empathy and compassion. Have applied my counselling knowledge and experience in offering emotional support, this has helped me to be a good communicator and effective listener. Core Skills

• Care in a home environment

• Competent in doing the job safely and efficiently

• Compassionate and empathetic.

• Communicating and listening effectively.

• Committed to the job.

• Courage.

• Flexible and adaptable to shift work and working hours.

• Good organisational skills and prioritising and managing workload.

• Teachable and acceptance of correction and willing to learn and improve.

• Work well under pressure and remain calm in challenging situations.

• Results driven and completing tasks safely and efficiently.

• Personal care – Male and female.

• Administering medication.

• Observations and taking of vitals.

• Documenting and reporting.

• Exercises- Passive and active, pressure care, massaging pressure areas, turning patient/client.

• Cleaning of catheter; Removing of IV.

• Ambulation – assisting/moving a client. Feeding a patient/client.

• Counselling; Re-assuring, encouraging when necessary while maintaining confidentiality of client.

• Health and safety.

• Infection Control.

• CPR and First Aid and wound care.

• Diabetes Care

Work Experience

Live-In Care-Giver -2/01/2024 – 28/02/2025

Live-In Carer to a 77-year-old stroke patient, who has diabetes and hypertension, and various other co-morbidities. The client has entered a nursing home 30/01/2025 and I am now available to start a new position. I am able to start in two weeks from date of appointment of a new position,

• Personal hygiene including assisting with taking a shower, shaving, mani/pedicure, trimming moustache, etc.

• Encouraging to take medication.

• Housework, including overseeing gardener duties, including making/changing bed, cleaning the bathroom, washing / ironing clothes, lighting the fireplace, cooking, cleaning the kitchen, dusting, shopping, doctors appointments; etc.

• Provide assistance in using computer/ assisting with banking on internet and phone use.

• Drive and accompany the client on social outings, events, shopping, barber, bank, etc.

• Taking and documenting stats i.e blood glucose and BP measurements, including forwarding onto clients doctor each month.

• Keeping up with doctors and dentist appointments.

• Continually encouraging walking, mobility and safe exercise as client has circulation issues.

• Liaising/Updating family members who are living abroad.

• Daily passive active exercises.

• Cognitive stimulation exercises

• Changing nappies

• 2-3 hours turning during the night to avoid bed sores

• Administering insulin injections(sub-cutaneous)

• Physiotherapy exercises(daily) as required by the Rehab therapist

• Daily bed-bathing

Au-Pair

Fenine Rock-+27-837******

25 May-12 June 2023 - 30 August-20 September 2023

Worked 5 weeks as an Au-Pair for Mr.& Mrs Charles Rock-Van der Bijl Park South Africa. Parents were overseas on business, and I assumed responsibility for 3 children (3-4-6- year-old) on a full-time basis.

Patient Care Assistant

Ahmed Al Kadi Private Hospital- Durban, Natal.

April 2022 to July 2022

• Personal care - Bed bathing, mouth care, grooming, nail care, dressing, help with toileting.

• Observations and taking of vitals e.g. blood pressure; temperature, monitoring pulse and respiration, fluid in/output; glucose levels, testing urine (test strips).

• Administering medication in the form of pills, syrups, creams and ointments, nebuliser.

• Documenting and reporting-Identifying/monitoring/reporting symptoms e.g. dehydration, diarrhoea, confusion, weakness, constipation, weight gain/loss, skin conditions, pressure sore areas, appetite loss.

• Exercises-passive and active, pressure care, massaging pressure areas, turning patient and applying correct bed positions for patient. Monitoring bed sores.

• Feeding patient

• Catheter care

• Removing of IV

• Aiding with ambulation – moving a patient from bed to wheelchair/chair and vice versa.

• Counselling; re-assuring, encouraging when necessary. Key Achievements-Positive feedback from patients and staff for being immensely helpful. Demonstrating good practice in infection control. Commended for taking initiative, being a good learner, enthusiastic and for being professional, caring, and very hardworking. Reason for leaving- Practical work experience at the hospital ended in July 2022. Retail Sales and Administration

Kloof Florist/Craft Corner-Kloof-Natal

December 2020 to November 2021

• Half day, assisting with sales, administration, cash sales and cashing up, e-mails, quotes, purchasing, in addition teaching arts and crafts half day at Craft Corner which was located on the same premises as the florist and owned by the florist. Key Achievements-Honed my skills of working under pressure, working independently, and of being reliable and dependable. Reason for leaving-Visited family in England for 3 months.

Arts and Craft Teacher

De Colores Arts, Crafts& Crafts-Natal

May 2018 to November 2021

• Managed my own art and craft business. Conducted art and craft classes for children and adults, sold handcrafted gifts in the shop.

• Moved to teaching at Craft Corner full time and managed the business from home. Key Achievements-Excelled at working under pressure, multi-tasking. Learned well working with and encouraging children and senior citizens. Started a weekly craft meet-up for pensioners. Reason for leaving- Started teaching art full time from the Craft Corner studio.

Receptionist/Volunteer Co-ordinator and Training Co-ordinator HospiceWits - Gauteng

November 2015 to April 2018

Receptionist/Volunteer Co-ordinator

• Reporting monthly volunteer stats to the CEO – Reception duties, switchboard, messages, screening calls for the In-Patient Unit, post, petty cash, Visa card machine.

• Advertising for and recruiting volunteers for events and fundraisers, managing the volunteer databases. Organised a volunteer appreciation tea. Interview or arranged interviews and briefing of volunteers.

• Attended all events and fundraisers and worked alongside volunteers.

• Managed monthly In-House newsletter targeting staff and volunteers. Training Co-ordinator (Promoted to - August 2017)

• Administration and co-ordination for The Centre for Palliative Learning.

• Admin and marketing for the various courses, E.g. Palliative Care for caregivers, Dementia, caregiving, HIV/AIDS counselling, Basic counselling, Home-based care giving. Arranged graduation ceremony and certificates.

• Overseeing of admin for the annual Palliative Care for Registered Nurses course conducted through the Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa. (HPCA)

• Arranged In-Service Training for the nurses, volunteers, staff, with an outside speaker. Key Achievements-Certificate for being helpful and going the extra mile. Achieved commendable results in managing a new division (CPL Training Centre) when staff member suddenly left.

Reason for leaving-Purchased an Art, Craft and Gift business and moved to another city. Key Account Manager/ Customer Service Representative Crest Chemicals Pty Ltd - Gauteng

February 2002 to June 2015

• Managed and maintained all aspects of the customer's account.

• Called on customers selling Industrial Chemicals, sales targets, budgets, call reports.

• Purchasing, marketing products and product research, CRM maintenance, customer complaints.

• Product demonstrations, SHEQ compliance, assisted Debtors with outstanding monies. Key Achievements–Excelled at working under pressure, building customer-centred relationships. Worked independently and was recognised for having the most reliable sales team. Achieved recognition for being flexible, dependable, and hardworking. Reason for leaving-I decided to make a career change and moved on to work for an NGO. Home-Based Bed Bather/Companion

Hospice East Rand - Benoni, Gauteng

January 2005 to December 2006

• Visited terminally ill patients in their homes. Providing personal care services.

• Bed bathing, dressing, hair washing, changing of bed linen, massaging sore muscles.

• Counselling when and if required, companionship, manicures/pedicures.

• Bed pan use/assistance, ambulation, toileting, bathing/showering. Key Achievements-Recognition for being reliable, compassionate, and courageous. Reason for Leaving – My employment base moved to another town. Education

Certificate of Attendance - Care and Support of People with Diabetes DESSA - Diabetes Education Society of South Africa - Durban, KwaZulu- NatalFebruary 2023 to February 2023

Certificate - Understanding Dementia

Alison On-line College - United Kingdom

July 2022 to August 2022

Diploma - Care giving

Alison On-line College - United Kingdom

February 2022 to August 2022

Certificate - Healthcare Assistant

Health of the Nation Training Academy - Durban, KwaZulu-Natal February 2022 to July 2022

Certificate - Christian Lay Counselling

University of Pretoria - Gauteng

January 2013 to December 2013

Certificate - Public Relations

Damelin College - Gauteng

June 2004 to October 2004

Certificate - High School Certificate

Parkhill High School - Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

January 1976 to December 1977

Languages

• English - Expert

• Afrikaans - Intermediate

Referees

• Fenine Rock-+27-837******

• Sr. S Dunn-Unit Manager-Paediatrics – Ahmed Al Kadi Private Hospital – +27-31-492-****

• Kim Ratcliffe-Owner-Kloof Florist/Craft Corner-+27-828******

• Jacqui Kaye-CEO-HospiceWits-Houghton Johannesburg-South Africa +27-11-483****

• Sherani Govender-HR Manager-Crestchem-+271*-*******

• Sr. Scotty Dustan-Caregiving Co-ordinator-Hospice EastRand-+27-834******/+27-11-422****

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