Team Member at Monmouth Care Home Shares Experience of Working in Care

To those who haven’t worked in social care before, it may not always be understood that daily life within a care home is often centred around human connection, trust and helping people continue living meaningful lives, rather than being solely focused on clinical support or personal care. It is a career path many people do not fully understand until they experience it for themselves. What can also come as a pleasant surprise is just how many opportunities there are to develop, upskill, and grow into leadership along the way.

For Akash, who joined Gibraltar Nursing Home six years ago as a Care Assistant, what began as a complete career change quickly became something far more fulfilling than he ever expected; an opportunity to build genuine relationships, bring comfort to others and become part of the everyday lives of the family members (residents) around him.  Over the past few years, he has expanded his skills, taken on additional responsibilities and now supports the team as a Team Lead and can’t imagine doing anything else.

 

 

A New Path

Before joining the team at Gibraltar in 2020, Akash was working at KFC, but when the pandemic hit he wanted a change, ‘It really made me re-evaluate what I was doing with my life. I wanted a job where I felt like I was actually making a tangible difference to people who needed it most, rather than just going through the motions.’

‘Seeing how vulnerable people were, especially in care settings during the pandemic, really pulled at my heartstrings. I’ve always been a naturally empathetic person, and I realised my skills would be much better used supporting others. I chose care because I wanted a career with real purpose, where a good day’s work meant someone else’s day was a little brighter.’

On starting his new career at Gibraltar, Akash shared, ‘I knew it was going to be tough during the height of the pandemic, but I don’t think anything can completely prepare you for the emotional depth of the job.’

When asked whether being a carer was what he’d been expecting, he shared, ‘It’s different in the sense that I didn’t realise how deeply attached you become to our family members [residents]. It’s not just a checklist of tasks; it’s about building real relationships. It’s emotionally harder than I thought, but also incredibly more rewarding than I ever anticipated.’

 

 

A Life Continued

Over time, one of the things Akash has come to value most is the opportunity to help family members continue to live meaningful and familiar lives. Occupation and engagement, he explained, are an important part of daily life within the home, not simply as activities to fill time, but because they help people maintain a sense of purpose, identity and connection to themselves and others.

‘Keeping family members occupied and engaged is everything,’ he said. ‘It gives them a sense of purpose, structure, and normalcy, which is vital for their mental and emotional wellbeing. When relatives see their loved ones taking part in activities, smiling, or learning something new, it gives them massive peace of mind. It shows them that their relative isn’t just being “looked after” but is truly living.’

Alongside supporting family members with day-to-day life around the home, Akash also spoke about the importance of personal care and the trust built during those quieter one-to-one moments. He explained that supporting someone with bathing, dressing or other personal tasks is never simply about completing a routine, but about protecting dignity and helping someone to feel like themselves.

‘It can be a vulnerable position for a family member to be in, so I always make sure to talk to them, explain what I’m doing, and keep things relaxed. It’s about making them feel comfortable, safe and never rushed.’

For Akash, many of the most rewarding parts of the role are often found in small everyday moments.

‘It’s making a family member laugh when they’ve been having a quiet or down day, or the look of relief on their face when you’ve helped them,’ he explained. ‘Knowing that you are the person providing comfort and safety to someone at this stage in their life is an amazing feeling. You really feel like an extended part of their family.

At the same time, he is honest about the more difficult parts of working in care.

‘The emotional weight can be heavy, especially when a family member you’ve grown close to becomes unwell or passes away,’ he said. ‘Because we build such genuine bonds with them, it really hurts when they decline.’

The Power of Music

Music has also become an important way for Akash to connect with family members around the home. Videos shared by Gibraltar Nursing Home often show him playing music and singing alongside people living there, something he says creates a completely different atmosphere within the room.

‘Playing music doesn’t feel like work at all; it feels like a shared human experience,’ he explained. ‘I’ve seen family members who are usually restless completely calm down, and others who don’t speak much suddenly start singing along to every word. Music unlocks memories in a way words can’t.’

One particularly moving moment was shared between Akash and family member Marilyn, when he played guitar beside her. Marilyn listened closely, smiling and nodding along before placing her hand gently against her chest and tapping softly in time with the music.

Music can be very powerful for people who are living with a Dementia or are on a cognitive journey. Rhythm and melody activate parts of the brain linked to emotion, movement and long-term memory, so although someone might struggle to recall a recent conversation, they can sometimes still remember the words or beat to a song from years ago.

 

More Than Just a Team

Alongside the relationships built with family members, Akash also spoke warmly about the team around him and the support he feels within the home itself.

‘Working in care creates a really unique bond,’ he said. ‘We have to trust and rely on each other. There’s a lot of mutual respect, and we always find a way to keep each other’s spirits up with a bit of humour when things get busy.’

He also credits the wider support within Gibraltar Nursing Home for helping him continue progressing within his role.

‘The leadership team is always approachable, and they understand the realities of what we do,’ he explained. ‘Whether it’s making sure we have the right training or just checking in on our wellbeing after a stressful shift, I feel like the home genuinely cares about us as individuals.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Future Aspirations

Looking ahead, Akash hopes to continue growing his career at Gibraltar Nursing Home.

‘I want to continue developing my skills, taking on more responsibilities when the time is right, and continuing to provide the highest standard of care possible,’ he said. ‘My ultimate goal is to remain a reliable, positive staple in the lives of the family members and the team for a long time to come.’

To read more stories about the people living and working at Gibraltar Nursing Home, please click here.