MORNINGS, WEEK-NIGHTS AND WEEK-END LATE NIGHT WORK AVAILABLE.
A fantastic opportunity exists for a reliable, trustworthy, understanding, very patient, caring, non-smoking, emotionally stable, responsible, fit, fun-loving, healthy female (preferably in or around the Hillcrest area) to assist an astute (apparently likeable!) male with Cerebral Palsy in my own home.
Experience with “people with disabilities” is NOT preferred.
Mature young folk are encouraged & welcome to apply to take advantage of this rewarding opportunity.
(If you’re thinking, “This isn’t for me”, but you seem to fit most of the criteria, you could be pleasantly surprised! You may also know of someone else who could be interested in, and suitable for, this work.)
This is usually ideal employment for University and TAFE Students and for those who preferably do not have any, or have only minimum, Family or other commitments. Like other jobs, this is more suited to certain people. A wide variety of people could still very successfully do it. However, among other things, I now need more assistance with personal care. Therefore, this could be more suited to females who might be inclined towards any personal care-related field, but who have not yet been “trained”. (No over-seas applications, please.) To facilitate ease in rostering changes when required, it would also help if applicants aren’t restricted or disadvantaged by the number of hours they can work.
To save your and my time, before applying, PLEASE read this ad VERY CAREFULLY and consider the distance that you may need to travel to assist me. Regrettably, because I am physically extremely slow (typing around an average of 6 w.p.m.) it is often physically impossible for me to respond to all applicants. Therefore, if I think that an applicant is unsuitable or lives too far from me to be financially viable or practical for them, please accept my apologies for not responding.
To speed-up the processing of applications, please ensure the mentioning of the area in which you live, date of birth and if you have a private means of transport.
If applicants prefer not to work on every week-end, then they may work every fortnight or once a month. Most start-times may be negotiated, if required.
* Saturday and\or Sunday nights usually for around 2.5 hours.
Preferred start-time:- 8:00 or later.
Core tasks include feed a hot meal to me. An occasional shower or quick wash and assist me into bed.
* Sunday afternoons- when the weather is warm – for 1 hour from 4:30.
This is to assist me to shower, dress and get into my wheelchair so that I can take myself to Church.
* Friday nights usually for around 3.5 hours.
Preferred start-time:- 8:00 or later. (3:15 p.m. when I go out. This is usually at least twice a month. When this occurs, I need somebody to assist me into bed any time preferably after about 11 p.m.)
. Core tasks include feeding me my hot meal, showering and assisting me into bed (or dress me to go out). A few general and miscellaneous home-care tasks may also need to be done.
* Occasionally after 11 p.m.. I would also very much like to find somebody suitable who lives very close to me who wouldn’t mind sometimes “popping over” late at night (i.e., after 11 p.m.) particularly after I return home from going out, to assist me into bed. This can take as little as 15 minutes or occasionally, possibly up to an hour if the person is available for that long.
(I cannot now independently and safely put myself into, or get myself out of, bed due to aging, Arthritis and loss of body strength. Therefore, I cannot go out and maintain contact with friends, not to mention expanding this circle and ultimately possibly finding more help, without having someone suitable to assist me into bed after I return home. Thus, serious consideration could be given to extra remuneration for this assistance.)
* Week-day mornings for 1 to 3 hours for 1 or more days each week.
Usual start-time:- 9:45. Can occasionally be between 8:00 and 11:00.
Core tasks include assisting me out of bed etc., breakfasting, dressing and setting me up at my computer for the day. Occasionally, I may also need assistance around 2 or 3 p.m. if I am feeling unwell and need a rest. Therefore, it would be extremely adventageous if Applicants live in or around the Hillcrest area and have a very high level of availability!
After becoming familiar with assisting me in the way that I need, other general home-care and more specialised tasks will be offered to the right kind of person.
* One or two week-night usually for up to 4 hours. Preferred start-time:- 8:00 or later. Core tasks include feeding me my hot meal, showering and assisting me into bed (or dress me to go out). A few general and miscellaneous home-care tasks may also need to be done.
* Saturday and\or Sunday mornings usually for 60 – 90 mins.
. Usual start-time:- 10:30. Can occasionally be between 9:00 and Noon, the latter particularly on Sundays, if desired.
Core tasks include assisting me out of bed etc., breakfasting, dressing and setting me up at my computer for the day.
Rewarding pay & Bonuses. Pay rates (which currently generally range from around $21 to $45 per hour) vary depending on the time and day worked; and the kind of assistance – i.e. personal care versus Social assistance or cleaning. (More work usually results for the right kind of person.)
Good working environment and conditions in a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere - most times! Heavy lifting is not required.
Applicants for paid positions should (among other things) have as many as possible of the following attributes:-
* Show an ability and willingness to become familiar with “speech with a difference”.
(The way in which I speak sometimes presents a challenge to accurate understanding. It is thus VERY STRONGLY SUGGESTED that, to save potential embarrassment and time, those having English as a second language or are hearing impaired need NOT apply for this work UNLESS they speak clearly and understand English EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.)
* Be able to bend easily and sit on the floor for up to 10 minutes at a time. (For my own “independence”, I “live” on my knees and hands on the floor in my fully-carpeted, specially equipped, house.)
* Be able to be telephoned and be very punctual.
(Having a vehicle or any other form of independent, reliable private transport is VERY STRONGLY preferred.)
* Be able to accurately follow instructions, have a good attitude and memory, be observant and pay attention to detail.
* Have a "common sense" and flexible approach to work and to times and hours worked.
* Have a consistently stable, healthy, life-style.
* If suited, be prepared for (and expect to enjoy) a long-term commitment - at least 1 or 2 years - to this position.
Being prepared to be a Back-up; having an out-going nature, pleasant disposition, a genuine interest in other people, basic common-sense “life skills”; broad mind, a good sense of humour & inter-personal skills would DEFINITELY be an advantage!
If you think that you are suitable to assist me because you are so-called “qualified”; have perhaps worked in a Nursing Home or as a “carer” and therefore think that you know what to do, then, regrettably, there is a 95% chance that you will not be suitable to assist me. There are, of course, exceptions. However, there isn’t any “Course” or anything that one can do prior to working with me directly, that will “teach” anyone to be able to understand the way that I speak or what to do to correctly and safely assist me in the way that I need. It is a total misconception to think that, if one has done some “Course in Disability” or is working with “people with disabilities”, then one knows how to “automatically” appropriately help all people who have a “disability”. This is a little like saying that, if one is married, then one knows how to “automatically” look after everyone else’s spouse without first meeting and getting to know them! Every person is an individual.
From more than 22 years of experience, I have found that, usually by far, the most suitable are females who are aware that they don’t know what is required to assist me. They also have the right kind of attitude; delight in the rewarding challenge of learning to understand the way that I speak; and have many of the above listed characteristics! (Prior to seeing my advert, one of my best Assistants wasn’t even aware that this kind of work existed! University Student Teacher, Art Students and even a former “Street Kid”, amongst many others, have particularly made wonderful P.A.s for me.)
[Interested or even curious? Why not “check it out”? What have you got to lose?]
Avoid disappointment. Apply now!
FOR MORE DETAILS:- 'Phone one of my P.A.s on 0432 891-181 or EMAIL ME, [email protected] (Photographs are accepted.)
OTHER AVAILABLE POSITIONS PERIODICALLY INCLUDE: -
PAID:- Cleaning; Odd Jobs; Masseuse; Handy-man; Gardener.
VOLUNTARY:- Cooks ; People to take me out, socially; Folk with experience in Electronics & Carpentry with spare time to help me with a range of projects; Help to recruit all of the above and others!
Thanks!