Johanna's Story

Going to university is all about newfound independence. New experiences, new friends… and let’s be honest - partying. Who wants to do any of that with their parents in tow?

Johanna felt like this; poised to study a three year bachelor's degree in geography, she didn't want to limit her choices by living at home. The challenge was how to make the most of this new freedom, while recognising that cerebral palsy means she needs more support than your average fresher.

At first, her parents felt anxious and a little sad about their nineteen year old daughter leaving home, as most parents do - but moreso because of her condition. Yet with Johanna’s liberty and wellbeing the clear priorities, they took a brave decision to make some radical changes, at what felt like a natural juncture.

After some very grown-up discussions, the family invited Avanta Care to explore some options with them. The family weren’t sure what kind of care was out there, all they knew was that they didn’t want anything standard or intrusive - because Johanna’s situation was as unique as she was.

So we listened. We had a think about how we could help, then came back with a proposal.

The recommendation Johanna went for was to have an informal, full-time companion carer accompany her during university term time. First, Johanna would meet a few candidates to see how they got on, then whoever she chose would join her at university. After careful thought, she picked a bubbly lady called Lucy.

September finally arrived, and Lucy (who’d been staying at the family home so they could get to know each other better) accompanied Johanna in the life-changing transition to university. It was emotional for Johanna’s parents, but a whole lot easier thanks to the peace of mind they took in her flourishing companionship with Lucy. The pair had separate rooms in the same halls, but Johanna could always reach Lucy via a private intercom. At any time of day or night, Lucy was only ever a few doors down.

On a typical day, Lucy’s job is to help Johanna live as independently as possible, and get the most out of university life. She helps her get around campus in a wheelchair, master new study skills in the library, and take notes - which Johanna isn’t quite fast enough to record on her own. After lectures, Johanna transcribes the notes herself onto her laptop, learning at her own pace. Lucy quite enjoys the challenge too - one reason they get along so well is their shared curiosity in people and the planet.

Then there’s the partying. The two friends go out to the student union together most nights, meet course mates and indulge in all the fun and capers every fresher can expect. Johanna feels fantastically empowered, because whatever she wants to do - fresher’s week, balls, gigs, societies - she can relax knowing Lucy’s always there for her. Lucy enjoys these events too because they socialise as friends, and friends look out for one another and make sure they get home safely.

Lucy has an appetite for life that’s really rubbed off on Johanna - her parents notice that too. They think Johanna is making a perfectly natural transition into adulthood, in the way they always hoped she would - on her own terms.

Technically, this isn’t what most agencies would call ‘live-in care’ because it doesn’t fit the mould. But then who does? At Avanta Care we realised long ago that there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all. Special people need special arrangements - that’s why we worked with Johanna and her family, her healthcare specialists and the university, to design a package that’s truly flexible, informal and bespoke.

Joyce's story

Joyce loves being close to nature. On sunny days you’d always find her pottering about in the garden at home, enjoying the trees, plants and animals that fringe the family home on the edge of the Dales. Each day, a roster of friendly Avanta Care healthcare assistants would arrive first thing in the morning to help her rise, cook and prepare for the day, and once in the evening to help her wind down for bed.

That arrangement worked quite well for Joyce until circumstances changed and dementia began to get the better of her. She’d sometimes wake in the night to an empty house, unsure of her surroundings and in need of friendly reassurance and support. When our carers arrived in the morning, Joyce, tired and confused, began to refuse her medication - mixing up the group of regular faces who usually came to administer it.

For a short time, her family felt a little powerless to help - living so far away. Existing arrangements always worked so well that they never really needed to worry about their mother’s well-being - up until recently, she was happy and reasonably independent.

These latest developments complicated things. Joyce now needed attention beyond what casual care could deliver, combined with whatever the family were capable of, whenever they could visit. Plus, they had families of their own to care for, and mum had always been so proud - she didn’t ever want to be a burden.

The first course of action was to review Joyce’s care plan. Avanta suggested Joyce could move to full-time live-in care, with a dedicated carer. This would reduce the chance of confusion and give Joyce 24-hour attention, in case she became disorientated during the night. Her family mulled this over, and carefully explained the option to her.

The new arrangements soon turned out to be a great fit. Joyce took warmly to her full-time carer, Amy, who turned out to have even more in common than they ever imagined. They both love musicals, cinema, reading Agatha Christie novels and getting back to nature - things they quickly began to do together. The family even had Amy insured on Joyce’s car so they could travel further afield to holiday cottages for long weekends on the sunny coast - something Joyce hadn’t been able to do since her husband died.

Joyce’s regular medication is back on track now too - stabilizing her dementia. This is all down to the arrival of Amy, who she trusts like a friend. In fact, Joyce says it’s just like having a more able friend live about the house, taking care of housework, cooking and personal care. They even enjoy the same TV programmes (anything with antiques!) when the weather’s too damp to be in the garden.

Amy gets on well with the family too. She helps make their visits easier, and their time together always as care-free as possible for Joyce. She keeps them in the loop with what Joyce has been up to, involves them in her care plan reviews and makes sure she’s always getting the most out of life - with plenty of input from the family.

Finding a perfect match like this isn’t down to coincidence. It’s down to expert insight and access to the right people - the kind we have at Avanta Care. We hear stories like this every day. To us they’re opportunities to keep people doing the things they enjoy, for longer than you or they ever thought possible - just like Joyce.

Daniel's journey

It isn’t easy leaving home to find work in another part of the world. Just ask Daniel.

Back in 2015, Daniel made a huge sacrifice - he decided he could better support his family in Bulgaria by pursuing a career in UK healthcare. But that meant being apart from his wife and child.

Young, apprehensive, yet hopeful - at first Daniel wasn’t sure what to expect. All he’d heard from friends was that life in the UK was rewarding - especially for caring people who gave back to society.

“I want to live in a country with higher ethics and working conditions standards, where your hard work is appreciated and valued. I like to help people in need, elderly people are very vulnerable and need proper help and support, something that I believe I can deliver.”

So Daniel began by scouring the internet for job vacancies. He soon found plenty of employers but they left important questions unanswered. Like how do you find somewhere to live?, what training do you need to work?, and what’s it really like living in the UK?

Daniel discovered you could also get work through recruitment companies. Again, plenty of companies made big promises about job opportunities, but he found only Avanta Care took a genuine interest in his well-being, and getting him settled in the UK.

So he read reviews about us, stories from people we already employ as care workers, and compared our offer with the competition. Daniel felt a little nervous putting his livelihood in someone else’s hands, especially in a foreign country, but he really appreciated the honest answers we gave to his questions over Skype. That was enough for him to put his trust in Avanta Care.

Soon, Daniel was on the plane to the UK, with a place to stay when he arrived, and a week of intensive Care Certificate training ahead of him.

“Avanta Care are a professional company willing to go the extra mile to help you. Everyone I've dealt with has been great! I would recommend highly to anyone wanting to go into the healthcare industry. The team are amazing as they have helped me every step of the way.”

When he was fully trained and ready to work, our recruitment team offered some suitable jobs to Daniel. He then picked the best one for him and moved into accommodation nearby, which our welfare team also arranged. The job was challenging but Daniel understood that from the start, because we’re always up-front about what to expect.

“The most unusual privilege was to be involved in a family's care at their most difficult time. You can train for this but the only way to cope is feeling supported and prepared by a friendly team like Avanta Care. The most rewarding part is knowing you are helping people every day. You also are given the opportunity to learn new skills and improve current skills all the time.”

Daniel has been a valuable member of our team for two years now. In that time he says his standard of living improved greatly, and he feels completely settled into UK life.

He didn’t have to wait long to be reunited with his family, either. By dedicating himself to his career; making vulnerable people’s lives easier, he soon saved enough to support his family’s move to the UK. He now lives happily with his wife and child in their home in Leeds.

Anna's Story

Anna took a chance leaving to seek her fortunes in the UK. Open to possibility, she began by exploring lots of different career options. With a good grasp of English and a positive attitude, she knew that whichever route she chose, the UK was a rewarding place for people with ambition.

"I knew the language but I felt here was a country I was going to work in and live for the rest of my life."

So you could say what happened next was part luck, part determination.

Googling for job opportunities, Avanta Care kept appearing in the results as one of the most highly recommended recruitment agencies for workers from the European Union. At first, Anna saw healthcare as a convenient way to get a job. But after a little research into what it really involved, it soon sounded like a perfect fit for her friendly, caring nature.

So Anna took a chance. She applied for work and soon scheduled a friendly interview with our welfare team over Skype. And from that point onwards, Anna’s career was no longer left to fate. After we gave her an honest account of what it’s like to work in care, Anna weighed up her options, and decided it was the right kind of work to dedicate herself to.

A few weeks later, Anna settled herself comfortably into our UK training base. What followed was a week-long intensive training course in the Care Certificate qualification - to help prepare her for UK care work.

At Avanta Care, we love ambitious, open-minded people like Anna. Healthcare might not even be your first choice, but once you hear real-life stories from staff who’ve remained with us for many years, you’ll soon realise it’s a perfect gateway to a secure, rewarding career that improves quality of life for vulnerable people.

A few months in, and Anna found care work to be both inspiring, and occasionally challenging. One particular experience stayed with her - feeding an elderly person who couldn’t swallow food properly.

“Avanta Care are a professional company willing to go the extra mile to help you. Everyone I've dealt with has been great! I would recommend highly to anyone wanting to go into the healthcare industry. The team are amazing as they have helped me every step of the way.”

We’re always honest and upfront about what to expect when you work with Avanta Care, and we never make unrealistic promises. The rewards are great - especially to grow as a person, and improve yourself - all we ask in return is your ongoing commitment. We’re told that fairness is why people often choose us over the competition.

Anna agrees:

“Once you join Avanta, you'll never want to leave - really. They are transparent from all points of view, serious ... the best!!!”

Anna has lived in the UK for two years now, and she and her partner are expecting their first child. While her career began as something of an unplanned adventure, her commitment to giving back to society, matched by a reliable employment partner like Avanta Care, meant things all worked out well in the end for Anna. 

Spreading Festive Joy

At Avanta Care we believe it's important to continue to make a difference across the local community.

Our head office team wanted to spread some festive joy to some very worthy causes over the Christmas period:

Mission Christmas is a campaign run by Radio Aire on behalf of the children’s charity Cash for Kids, to provide gifts for vulnerable children across Leeds and West Yorkshire. Last year Mission Christmas helped over 22,140 children. With poverty numbers steadily rising across the country, Mission Christmas aims to show these children that people care and want to make a difference to their lives.

Lisa Sullivan, the Mission Christmas Manager gave the following statement:

“Thank you so much for supporting Radio Aire’s Cash for Kids Mission Christmas 2016 and donating an amazing £5,000 - we are truly overwhelmed with your support. We really do appreciate your fantastic hard work and generosity in helping support local children, who are at risk of waking up to nothing on Christmas Morning. Thank you for helping Cash for Kids keep the Christmas dream alive. Together we can make such a difference to local deprived children within Leeds & West Yorkshire. Everyone here at Radio Aire’s Cash for Kids wish you a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.”

As well as providing a luxury hamper for each of our domiciliary care service users, we have also donated to each of the following nationwide and international charities:

• Age UK
• Alzheimer’s Society
• Guide dogs for the Blind
• British Red Cross
• Unicef
• Oxfam

"At this time of year we tend to focus on our own family and friends and enjoying ourselves. We wanted to spare a thought for those who aren’t as fortunate or who have nothing to look forward to on what should be a very special day" said Craig Roberts, Avanta Care Business Development Manager. "We wish all our clients, candidates and friends a very, Merry Christmas."

Looking for health care jobs?

Looking for health care jobs, then Avanta Care are here to help.

A career in health care can be one of the most rewarding and challenging careers to undertake. The health care field offers a variety of jobs across different experience levels. We offer a range of healthcare jobs from Healthcare assistants to Registered nurses.

We are renowned for our hassle free health care jobs recruitment process that cherry picks experienced, English speaking healthcare workers. Our approach is to support staff, leading to a lasting relationship with healthcare establishments and individuals that require domiciliary care.

Our exceptionally high standards make us the most recommended healthcare job employment agency on www.carehome.co.uk. 

Benfits of working for Avanta Care:

Some of the benefits of finding health care jobs through Avanta care are as follows:

•  We offer a personal allowance to help you through until you get your first pay
•  We offer a wide range of vacancies throughout the UK
•  We offer an intensive care certificate training program
•  We offer additional holiday pay on all overtime hours worked
•  And we offer opportunities to progress your career and learn gain qualifications

The health care jobs recruitment process can be daunting, that is why we are here to guide you through the process ensuring that you are fully prepared for the interview and what the job will entail. We don’t stop there, if required we also arrange for your accommodation and training.

The qualities that we look for in candidates that are applying for health care jobs are as follows:

We look for a friendly caring personality and the ability to relate to people for a variety of backgrounds. The ideal candidate should be sensitive and have a respectful approach to patients. You will need the ability to work on your own initiative and as part of a team. Most importantly you must have a patient nature and a sense of humour!

If this is you, we have a wide range of health care jobs available to view now https://www.avantacare.com/find-a-job/latest-jobs

Homecare.co.uk Top 10 Agency Awards 2016

We are proud to announce that we are one of the winning Home Care providers in the Homecare.co.uk Top 10 Agency Awards 2016 for Yorkshire and Humberside. The award was presented on Thursday 14th April.

The homecare.co.uk Top 10 Agency Awards 2016 highlights the most recommended Agencies in each region of the UK.

"I am extremely proud of the team" said Domiciliary Care manager Amanda Campbell. "It is lovely to receive recognition for the hard work and dedication the team show our service users. To be in the top 10 recommended home care providers in Yorkshire and Humberside is a huge accolade."

The Awards are based on over 4,000 Reviews by Service Users and and Family / Friends of service Users from 1st April 2015 to 1st April 2016.

Click Here to view our profile on Carehome.co.uk.

Welcoming The Care Certificate

The recent introduction of The Care Certificate means there are some big changes ahead for the care sector – changes that Avanta Care feel will only help to improve the overall standard of care.

A report in July 2013 found that the preparation of healthcare assistants and social care support workers for their roles within care settings was inconsistent, and one of the recommendations was the development of the Care Certificate.

The Care Certificate builds on and replaces the Common Induction Standards (CIS) and National Minimum Training Standards (NMTS). It sets out explicitly the learning outcomes, competences and standards of care that will be expected in both sectors, ensuring that the HCSW/ASCW is caring, compassionate and provides quality care.

The Care Certificate was launched in March 2015, and came in to use on 1^st April 2015.

Avanta Care Manager Jade Griffiths has welcomed the changes, stating:  “We welcome any new procedures and additional training, particularly if it means an overall improvement to healthcare in the UK.

We have been working hard for the past months to ensure our in-house training team are prepared for the change, and to ensure we can factor in the new standards to the original 8 common induction standards we previously taught.

We have created a handbook which is provided to each candidate to take to their placement and to be signed off by their manager as they progress.”

For more information on The Care Certificate visit: www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Standards/Care-Certificate.

Corina's journey with Avanta

Hello, my name is Corina and I have worked for Avanta Care since September 2014. 

I made the decision to work in the UK last year, after 10 years of work as a teacher. After many hours spent researching UK care providers on the internet, I decided to come with Avanta Care. I was impressed that they were considered to be the Number 1 recommended recruitment company on www.homecare.co.uk.

When I arrived here last September, Avanta Care accommodated me at there training base in Leeds. I had an intensive one week Common Induction Standards training course, in readiness for me to begin an assignment in the UK healthcare sector.

After an interview with one of Avanta Care’s clients, I was placed in the South East of England. Avanta Care assisted me with my travel and accommodation, along with all the information I needed in order to ensure my relocation went smoothly. The whole team at Avanta Care was very supportive and no matter what the question they were happy to help.

I worked as a care assistant between September 2014 and January 2015 and it was a great time for me. I made a lot of friends at my workplace and I enjoyed every day spent there.

In January this year Avanta Care had a vacancy for an overseas recruiter, based at their head office in Leeds. I sent an application form and was accepted for an interview. They liked me and they offered me this new opportunity. I felt so proud to be accepted for the role, and excited to begin this new challenge. 

In February this year I started to work at the head office as an overseas recruiter, and I am thoroughly enjoying it so far. I am very grateful that I had this chance with Avanta Care, my whole life has been changed for the better since I came here.

I want to share my experience with Avanta Care and hope my story could be a source of inspiration. I can honestly say there is no better company to help achieve this dream than Avanta Care. All you have to do it is to send an application form and they will do the rest!

    
All the best,

Corina

     

  

2015 so far...

2015 is going to be an exciting year for Avanta Care…

The company grew significantly in 2014, and in 2015 shows no signs of slowing down.

With an expanding client base and new partnerships forming with recruiters in the EU, we have already employed 5 new staff members in our Head Office, with a view to another 3 new recruits beginning in February.

"We are growing fast, which I'm obviously delighted about" said Business Development Manager Craig. 

"I am happy with our progress, and we have invested heavily in new staff to ensure a smooth transition as we welcome more clients and candidates.

We also further cemented our position as the 
Number 1 Recommended Recruitment company on www.carehome.co.uk, passing 50 recommendations."

Avanta Care Awards 2015

We are happy to announce the first Avanta Care Awards have been planned for Friday 24th April 2015.

The glamorous evening will take place at The white Cloth Gallery in Leeds, and will be a chance for some employees to win a host of awards, with the Avanta Care Employee of the Year winning £1000.

The evening will include a champagne reception, a meal, entertainment, followed by the award ceremony.

"We value the hard work and dedication of all our staff members, and this is our way of rewarding them" said Manager Jade.

Work for Avanta Care

If you would like to join us on this exciting journey and work for us, then visit www.avantacare.com/vacancies.

Alternatively, email a copy of your C.V to jobs@avantacare.com.

The Great Avanta Bake Off

On Friday 7th November we hosted a Pink Friday in our Head office to raise money for Breast Cancer Care.

All staff members wore a pink item of clothing and made a donation. We also held the Great Avanta Bake Off.

We are pleased to announce the Great Avanta Bake Off raised £283 for Breast Cancer Care.

On Friday 7th November, we hosted a Pink Friday in our Head office, with all staff members wearing a pink item of clothing. 

We also held the Great Avanta Bake Off.

There was some weary looking staff members on Friday morning, as the majority had been up all night perfecting (Remaking!) their goods. 

Tensions ran high, as our very own Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry (Craig and Nichola) tasted the samplings, as each budding baker looked on nervously. There was a tie-breaker for first prize between Becky's Ribbon buns and Rob's Pink flapjack.

The judges decided that Becky's buns were the winner, and she was crowned Star Baker.

Senior Recruiter Paul took home the wooden spoon award, with his barely edible raspberry brownies. "I just don't understand what's happened. I've made them a hundred times before, and they have always been a success" he said.

It was a fun day, that raised money for a very worthy cause.

For more information and to see more pictures visit http://tinyurl.com/pdn6sj8.

Practicality over Pride - Evelyn's story

 It was a big step for me, admitting I needed some help around the house. At first, I didn't like the thought of being dependent on somebody else. But since my husband passed away two years ago, it has become harder doing the things I used to take for granted.

At 77 years old, I still feel good in myself. But age does eventually catch up, as does the arthritis. I suffer from it in my hips and back. I have good days, but also days when it flairs up and even the simplest of tasks become hard work.

It was whilst loading my washing machine that my daughter saw me grimacing and struggling to bend.

"I think it's time we got you some help around the house" she said. "Nonsense!" I scoffed. But deep down, despite my pride initially ruling my head, I knew she was right.

After another week or so of struggling, and my daughter's persistence, I agreed to, at least entertain the idea of some assistance around the house.

We sat down with her laptop and scoured the internet. We did our research, did some comparisons and liked the look of Avanta Care's website. My daughter called the number on my behalf and arranged a meeting for the following morning. I was still sceptical and still had my reservations, but was willing to meet her.

The following morning, we met with Avanta Care's Sharon. She was lovely, friendly and very helpful. I was insistent I did not need full care, just help with the odd household chore. Sharon reassured me that   her team could provide as little or as much help as I needed. We agreed on a 1 hour per day plan to begin with, with the flexibility to adapt the plan as I needed.

Stephanie, my care assistant came the following Monday. I felt strange, almost awkward letting somebody in to my home. Stephanie was very pleasant, and asked how she could help. She began by doing some housework, dusting the higher places I can no longer reach.

As the weeks passed, I extended the plan to 2 hours per day. Not only was it lovely having the help, I enjoyed the company too. She prepares meals for me, goes shopping and no job I require has been too big for her.

I am so pleased with the service I've received, and only wish I'd done it sooner!

Evelyn, Leeds

My journey so far

Hello, my name is Dimitar and I am a care assistant. I currently work at a care home in Norwich. This is a blog about my journey so far.

I am from Sofia in Bulgaria, and moved to the UK two months ago. Avanta Care arranged my travel and accommodation, and I arrived in July 2014.

Leaving home

On the morning I left Bulgaria, I was a little nervous, as to be expected. I was moving to a new country and leaving my friends and family behind. Nervous, but also excited to be starting this adventure.

I arrived in Leeds with 7 other people, and was greeted by a warm, smiling face. It was Diana, one of Avanta Care's consultants. She was very friendly and helpful, and put my mind at ease.

We travelled to the hotel in Leeds, which was to be our home for the next week. We had the weekend to explore Leeds and take in some of the sites.

Training

Training began on Monday morning. We were studying towards an NCFE Level 1 Award in Preparing to work in Adult Social Care.
It is a week-long intensive training programme.

Training was good - very detailed, but done in a relaxed environment. We covered all aspects of care, including moving people (See picture).

We all passed the training course, and were now qualified care assistants ready to work.

My work placement

I was called on Saturday by a member of the Avanta team to say I had a work placement ready for Monday. I was amazed at how quickly they had found me a position.

The placement was at a care home in Norwich. Avanta prepared me a travel plan and some accommodation, and I travelled down by train on Sunday afternoon.

I arrived in Norwich and was greeted by Anne, the care home manager. She was lovely, very helpful and showed me around. I met some of my colleagues, who were all very friendly. I knew I was going to enjoy my team here.

My accommodation was a 10 minute walk away, so I left the care home and went to see my new home. It was nice and my 2 housemates made me feel welcome.

I began work the following morning, and have been there for two months now. I work on a shift pattern, with some night shifts and I love it. The staff and residents are so friendly, and Norwich is a beautiful city.

My day to day duties vary from helping the residents with washing and getting dressed on a morning, to helping with housekeeping, preparing meals, and assisting them in to bed on an evening.

I am so grateful to Avanta Care for helping me on my new journey. They have made everything flow smoothly, and made this an easy transition for me.

Hello!

Hello, we are Avanta Care and are based in Leeds, UK.

We will be updating regularly with blogs from our carers and team members!

Regards,

The Avanta Care team