Personal Care Assistant 1 day/week @ £15/hour – North West London - London - NW2

Position: Personal Care Assistant 1 day/week @ £15/hour – North West London - London - NW2

We are seeking a companion/personal care assistant for Andrew, a 74-year-old man with frontotemporal dementia behavioral variant. We are based in North West London, zone 2. The working hours are Monday or Thursday for 6 hours from 10am - 4pm.

Responsibilities:

1. Accompany him on walks (max. 1 hour) and excursions such as free museum guided tours or going to the cinema.
2. Engage in one-on-one conversations, do crosswords, look at old photographs, and listen to music when at home.
3. Provide gentle prompting about personal hygiene as needed.
4. Offer companionship and gentle guidance during excursions.

Requirements:

1. Patience and kindness, with a willingness to adapt to his wishes and engage him in present activities.
2. French or Italian speakers are a desirable attribute, but not a requirement.

Additional Information:

Andrew’s condition presents as reduced social interaction and difficulty in social gatherings, fixation on routine, and verbal repetition (Same Story Syndrome). He experiences reduced interest in daily activities and may occasionally show outbursts of anger or frustration. His long-term memory is mostly unaffected, but he may struggle with detail.

Denial is a common symptom of his condition; he refers to his dementia as “memory problems” or “mobility issues.” He has been losing confidence in going out alone, especially after a few minor falls. He walks with a walking stick but is unsteady. In familiar environments, he is capable, but he becomes confused and fearful in unfamiliar places.

In his younger days, Andrew was a highly intelligent accountant and school bursar with a gift for languages and a wicked sense of humor. He enjoyed photography and loved nature, particularly butterflies, birds, and flowers.

We will be shortlisting candidates and conducting interviews in Mid-November.