Advice needed for working in care homes

[BeautiPrimrose]

Hi All
I need some advice and encouragement.
I have attended 3 day courses,Manicure Diploma, Express Acrylic and Gellux Gel Polish.
I enjoyed all 3 and obviously will gain more confidence the more I do these treatments.
My plan is to offer Manicures in Residential homes but I need advice on a few things,I hope someone can help?What paper work do I need to do and what about Dbs,is it needed?Who applies for it?
What should I offer?I was thinking A soak ,file and tidy up if needed and polish and massage?
Does anyone else go to homes,what do you offer?
Thank you in advance for any input

 

[attitude]

Hi All
I need some advice and encouragement.
I have attended 3 day courses,Manicure Diploma, Express Acrylic and Gellux Gel Polish.
I enjoyed all 3 and obviously will gain more confidence the more I do these treatments.
My plan is to offer Manicures in Residential homes but I need advice on a few things,I hope someone can help?What paper work do I need to do and what about Dbs,is it needed?Who applies for it?
What should I offer?I was thinking A soak ,file and tidy up if needed and polish and massage?
Does anyone else go to homes,what do you offer?
Thank you in advance for any input

Are you meaning for the elderly?
I am very sorry, but there is no way I would allow anyone with just day courses to work on my elderly mother.
Just way too many potential problems, and in any care home the possible list of contraindications is huge:
Haemophilia
Medical oedema
Rheumatism
Arthritis
Diabetes.
Inflamed nerve
Fungal, bacterial,viral, parsitic infections
Psoriasis
Eczema
Nail separation

 

[BeautiPrimrose]

Are you meaning for the elderly?
I am very sorry, but there is no way I would allow anyone with just day courses to work on my elderly mother.
Just way too many potential problems, and in any care home the possible list of contraindications is huge:
Haemophilia
Medical oedema
Rheumatism
Arthritis
Diabetes.
Inflamed nerve
Fungal, bacterial,viral, parsitic infections
Psoriasis
Eczema
Nail separation

Thank you for your reply, although I was hoping to get a more encouraging reply to start with
I appreciate it's your opinion and possibly others would agree with you.
However with each of my courses I have learnt about all the Contra-Indications,Contra-actions,Hygiene and Safety,
Hand and Nail Structure so I have as much knowledge as another Technician who has studied for longer.
I am also fully Insured.

 

[SparklySnow]

Hiya hunny, couldn't read and and run!

I dont do beauty in care homes, but I hope you get on ok. One thing, is that there is a BIG difference between care homes and residential homes. In care homes, the residents tend to need quite a lot of medical care and are often very poorly, whereas in residential they are often more active. Just good to know. In a few of the bigger homes near me, they often have the two types in the same home but split down the middle. Residents in care homes might still be able / like to have you even if they are poorly, but it's worth being aware of
Also yes you will almost certainly need a DBS. Or even if you don't, it looks far more professional if you do, as you will be working with vulnerable people. They are not cheap, but would be worth having if you intend to go into this, and I think one will cover you for all homes, although you will have to double check this. I'm pretty sure that you have to cover the cost of this though.

I'm still studying beauty, but my tutor warned us specifically not to do cuticle work on elderly people (other than a very gentle pushback - defo no nippers!) and be very careful with exfoliating. But I'm sure you know this from your courses, and I'm sure you'll do great. The massage is often very relaxing, and it's nice to have that personal contact.

I'm sure you'll be fab. Often there is an activity organiser who you could speak to, who arranges all the events, activities, people coming in to do things with the residents. Or failing that, just the manager, who is likely very busy but if you look super professional etc will probably be able to spare you 10 mins.

Hope it goes well x

 

[HollysRose]

Hi All
I need some advice and encouragement.
I have attended 3 day courses,Manicure Diploma, Express Acrylic and Gellux Gel Polish.
I enjoyed all 3 and obviously will gain more confidence the more I do these treatments.
My plan is to offer Manicures in Residential homes but I need advice on a few things,I hope someone can help?What paper work do I need to do and what about Dbs,is it needed?Who applies for it?
What should I offer?I was thinking A soak ,file and tidy up if needed and polish and massage?
Does anyone else go to homes,what do you offer?
Thank you in advance for any input

I can't help with anything about the paperwork etc. But I think manicures would be a really good idea for elderly people. A lot of elderly have arthritis, especially in their hands, and I've noticed from experience that a good massage with a good lotion - or oil - during a manicure can really help with the pain of arthritis. Like Sparkly Snow said you'll need to be very careful with cuticle work and exfoliation but I think they would enjoy the massage. The heat from paraffin wax will also help ease the pain from arthritis.

I think it's the quality of teaching that matters most, not necessarily the length of the course. So as long as you know all the important things (contra-indications, contra-indications, health & safety etc.) and as long as you're confident in your abilities, then all you can do is try.

 

[BeautiPrimrose]

Hiya hunny, couldn't read and and run!

I dont do beauty in care homes, but I hope you get on ok. One thing, is that there is a BIG difference between care homes and residential homes. In care homes, the residents tend to need quite a lot of medical care and are often very poorly, whereas in residential they are often more active. Just good to know. In a few of the bigger homes near me, they often have the two types in the same home but split down the middle. Residents in care homes might still be able / like to have you even if they are poorly, but it's worth being aware of
Also yes you will almost certainly need a DBS. Or even if you don't, it looks far more professional if you do, as you will be working with vulnerable people. They are not cheap, but would be worth having if you intend to go into this, and I think one will cover you for all homes, although you will have to double check this. I'm pretty sure that you have to cover the cost of this though.

I'm still studying beauty, but my tutor warned us specifically not to do cuticle work on elderly people (other than a very gentle pushback - defo no nippers!) and be very careful with exfoliating. But I'm sure you know this from your courses, and I'm sure you'll do great. The massage is often very relaxing, and it's nice to have that personal contact.

I'm sure you'll be fab. Often there is an activity organiser who you could speak to, who arranges all the events, activities, people coming in to do things with the residents. Or failing that, just the manager, who is likely very busy but if you look super professional etc will probably be able to spare you 10 mins.

Hope it goes well x

Thank you so much for your encouraging and informative reply.
I have emailed a local Residential home and the Manager is interested in meeting me hopefully this week to discuss what I can offer.
Years ago I worked as a Care Assistant and it pained me the fact we had to deal with the residence in such a rushed manor as time was a factor.So I just want to offer a very relax experience for them and someone to talk too and hopefully it will give them something to look forward to on a regular basis.
Good luck with the rest of your Beauty course

 

[BeautiPrimrose]

I can't help with anything about the paperwork etc. But I think manicures would be a really good idea for elderly people. A lot of elderly have arthritis, especially in their hands, and I've noticed from experience that a good massage with a good lotion - or oil - during a manicure can really help with the pain of arthritis. Like Sparkly Snow said you'll need to be very careful with cuticle work and exfoliation but I think they would enjoy the massage. The heat from paraffin wax will also help ease the pain from arthritis.

I think it's the quality of teaching that matters most, not necessarily the length of the course. So as long as you know all the important things (contra-indications, contra-indications, health & safety etc.) and as long as you're confident in your abilities, then all you can do is try.

Thank you for your reply.
That's what I thought and I have spoken with other people in and outside of the Beauty industry and most people agree that it would have great benefits.
I plan to take my time with each client as I know if its unrushed and relaxing then they will enjoy it and feel good.
I am hoping to meet a manager of a home this week to discuss what I can offer their residents.

 

[Beansy]

Hi All
I need some advice and encouragement.
I have attended 3 day courses,Manicure Diploma, Express Acrylic and Gellux Gel Polish.
I enjoyed all 3 and obviously will gain more confidence the more I do these treatments.
My plan is to offer Manicures in Residential homes but I need advice on a few things,I hope someone can help?What paper work do I need to do and what about Dbs,is it needed?Who applies for it?
What should I offer?I was thinking A soak ,file and tidy up if needed and polish and massage?
Does anyone else go to homes,what do you offer?
Thank you in advance for any input

When you say you 'plan to offer', do you mean on a voluntary basis or are you hoping to charge people?

Either way you'll need a DBS, they only cost £25. I'd get it yourself as having one means that it can be accepted straightaway and there won't be any delays. The care home will have to apply for one for you but they will give it to you, as it's actually your property.

You'll need to do a consultation but how that's done would need to be discussed with the Manager.

I do wish you luck but I would say that suggesting that you are as skilled after one day as some people are after much longer courses is slightly misguided. I don't doubt you will have covered the same syllabus but the reality is it won't be in the same depth, it simply isn't possible.

I hope your meeting goes well this week.