Feb
It absolutely depends on which country you’re in and what employer you’re referring to. Some posts will involve residential care for people with mental ill health, or advocacy for them, or helping individual people adjust or readjust to life after a period of ill health. You might work for a charity, or a private care provider, or a local social services department. It's really varied.
For information on this kind of job in the UK, you can visit a jobs site like www.jobs.guardian.co.uk and search for that job title, and then maybe contact an employer or two for an informal chat about what’s involved. Or you could seek advice from the sector skills council, www.skillsforcare.org.uk, who will be able to point you to resources about what mental health workers do.
Answer:
It may include giving clients their medication, cooking for clients and taking them on social outings, accompanying them to appointments, being there for them when they need to speak. Promoting independance will be a massive part of your job, wherever possible you should support clients/service users to do things for themselves and make choices regarding their life. You might have to encourage them to keep their bedroom tidy, wash themselves on a regular basis, go shopping etc. You’ll also have to keep accurate records of care given, clients mood and behaviour etc. You may also be involved in creating care plans and risk assesments. I've worked as a support worker, including with people with mental health problems for several years and find it really rewarding (I also have mental health problems myself).
Answer:
well i have one and she deals with a variety of things, one of which is listening to people who have problems, mostly mental health issues, but they deal with a variety of other aspects, helping with issues like housing and employment, at least in putting you onto the people that can help in that field. The job i would anticipate to be fairly stressful and i am not convinced that many people who do it should be there.
Answer:
If I had my Way they would be dedicated to a small number of pateints, they would have to get to learn & know their patients so if there’s any change in their patients appropriate action can be taken asap. there is more I would like to sit & type all night on what a community mental health assistant's job should entail. But hey that is just a personal choice it will never happen as we’re only looney's who are more intouch with the world than everyone else.
Answer:
All places differ slightly but a big part of it would be speaking to the patients, listening to their problems and concerns, but also just having a general chat with them. You’ll be required to write in patients notes, which will be counter signed by a nurse. You will have to get them up in the morning, helping to wash and dress if needed. Take blood pressures, temperature, blood sugars. Serve at meal times and assist the nurses with giving medication.