Job Description

Live-In Carer – For Someone Who'd Rather Be Outdoors Than Indoors

Wareham, Dorset | £950 per week | Driver essential | Live-in placement

Most live-in roles are quiet. This one isn't.

Our client is a lady who wants to be out — beaches, castles, hikes, mountain walks, the garden, the shops. If your idea of a good shift involves fresh air, a flask and a decent view, you'll get on well here.

She needs a carer who can keep up with her, keep her safe, and keep her laughing.

A Day With Her

☀️ Mornings — She needs some help with personal care, and needs a hand with dressing, and with small fiddly things like getting the toothpaste on the brush and the electric toothbrush switched on.

🍳 Breakfast — She'll tell you exactly what she fancies. You do the cooking and preparing; she eats independently.

💊 Medication — Blister packs, administered by you. She gets distracted easily, so this is about patient prompting and gentle encouragement rather than anything clinical.

🚗 Out and about — Food shopping (she picks, you read the labels and check expiry dates for her), appointments, days out, garden projects. Rarely a day spent sitting still.

📖 Talking — She has communication difficulties. Some words come out meaning something different to what you'd expect, and you'll learn her patterns over the first week or two. She uses picture books and memory books to point at people and places. The one thing she needs from you is time — never finish her sentences for her.

🗓 Her diary — She likes to know exactly what's happening: which carer is on, what appointments are coming, who's visiting. You'll keep it written up so she can check it whenever she wants.

📱 Staying connected — Helping her reply to emails and texts so she stays in touch with her family.

Being Honest With You

We'd rather tell you now than have you find out in week one.

• She can get frustrated and upset, and sometimes that comes out as shouting. It isn't personal, and we need someone who won't take it personally.

• She forgets her safety awareness. She'll step into the road without looking, or reach for the steering wheel while you're driving if she can't tell you where she wants to go. You need eyes on her constantly when you're out.

• She fixates on things. You'll need to be kind but firm — not telling her off, but not backing down when something isn't safe either.

• She'll walk out the door without her keys, purse, bag or glasses unless you prompt her every single time.

If that sounds like something you'd take in your stride, read on.

Who She's Looking For

✔ Clear, easily understood spoken English — because of her communication difficulties, she can only follow speech that's slow, clear and unhurried. This is essential to the role.

✔ Patient, calm and kind — the sort of patience that doesn't run out at 4 pm

✔ A proper sense of humour — she has one, and she wants it matched

✔ Genuinely active — you'll be on your feet, outdoors, most of the day

✔ Comfortable with silence — able to chat happily, but equally happy sitting quietly without filling every gap

✔ Confident with a phone and laptop — emails, texts, keeping family in the loop

✔ A driver with a full UK licence

✔ 6+ months' live-in care experience

✔ Right to work in the UK and an Enhanced DBS (or willingness to complete one)

Experience of supporting someone with communication difficulties or memory loss is a real advantage — but the right personality matters more to us than the right CV.

What You Get

• £950 per week 

• 20 Hours a week break — protected, not "when it's convenient"

• Travel allowance up to £100 per placement

• Your own private living space

• Paid induction and full Care Certificate training

• Funded NVQ Level 2 & 3 / Level 3 Diploma in Adult Health & Social Care

• 24-hour on-call support from a team who actually answer 

• £500 referral bonus for every friend you refer*

• Free DBS*

About St Jude's Care

We're a family-run provider based in Weymouth with over 20 years behind us and a Good CQC rating. We're small enough that you won't be a payroll number, and established enough that you'll be properly supported.

Interested?

📞 Call Sarah on 01305 559047 📧 recruitment@stjudescare.co.uk

Happy to have an informal chat first — no CV needed to pick up the phone.

*T&Cs apply. St Jude's Care is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all backgrounds.

Job Details