Stay up to date with everything happening at Ocala Healthcare. From company updates and community projects to award wins and new service launches, this is where we share our latest news and proudest moments as well as expert advice, heartfelt reflections, and honest perspectives on what it really means to make a difference.
Stay informed with our latest articles and news.
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Empathy, integrity and reliability are the foundation stones of great agency care. Every day, we have the opportunity to set a new precedent – to show that agency carers can be part of a successful, compassionate and professional community whose hard work is seen and appreciated.
If you believe, like we do, that agency stigma still exists in many care homes, then chances are you’ve also experienced the eye rolls and snarky comments. The muttered remarks like “you’re paid more” or “you don’t even know the residents.”
So, where does that attitude come from?
Perhaps an agency carer in the past let the team down – or maybe it’s just human nature, a tribal instinct to mistrust those from outside the usual crew.
But who is responsible for changing that perception?
That’s right – you are.
When you walk into a home you’ve never worked in before, your head is already full:
And on top of all that? You have to prove you’re competent to the people around you.
It’s a big ask.
But before we ask anyone else to value what we do, we need to start by valuing ourselves.
It takes courage to be an agency carer. The first day in any job is daunting – and agency carers face that ‘first day’ feeling over and over again, sometimes weekly. But it’s also a powerful position – an opportunity to demonstrate resilience, skill and warmth, again and again.
So how do we begin to change the way agency carers are viewed?
By taking ownership of the narrative.
We believe that care workers – both full-time and agency – are among the most undervalued professionals in any industry. From government underfunding to unbalanced media portrayals, many forces are working against us. And while we may not be able to fix the system overnight, or stop the media from focusing on the worst 5% of care stories, we can control how we show up.
We can strive to make a good account of ourselves, every single day – and we can expect the same from those around us.
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be exploring the unique challenges faced by agency carers, the roots of stigma, and the reasons behind those perceptions. We’ll also look at:
Stay tuned – we’ll be posting links to each blog in the series right here as we go.
