Personal Assistant / Support Worker

To provide flexible support with all aspects of daily life that are difficult because of my disabilities. This can include support with cooking, shopping, cleaning, housekeeping, administration, going out and about, attending appointments, and general day-to-day practical support. I am looking for somebody who is quick-thinking, capable and practical, with a positive, can-do attitude and good communication skills who helps make life easier and more manageable. About me I'm a creative and intelligent woman in my late 40s with a wide range of interests but severe fluctuating health limitations, which means I need practical support with many aspects of daily life. I'm looking for the right support to help me continue engaging with life in a way that is more manageable, sustainable and enjoyable. I have severe ME/CFS alongside being neurodiverse (AuDHD), with dyslexia, visual processing difficulties, coeliac disease, allergies and significant fragrance sensitivities. I'm a total foodie and really enjoy the creativity of cooking and eating healthy, delicious food. Other things I enjoy include spending time outdoors in nature and going for walks with my mobility scooter, light gardening, spending time with animals, music, art and creative activities, and accessible outings. Because I live with fluctuating energy and post-exertional malaise, I need support that genuinely reduces the amount I have to physically and mentally hold together myself. Main Duties and Responsibilities: The role can include the following tasks, but these do not all need to be covered by the same person.

• Support with shopping, including helping me check ingredients lists and allergens.
• Helping with meal planning, cooking, reheating meals and batch cooking using recipes and instructions provided, while following allergy and cross-contamination guidance.
• Cleaning, laundry, bedding changes, and practical household support.
• Practical support with self-care related tasks, e.g. preparing the bathroom safely for showering, helping dry and reset the space afterwards. Ideally, this would include occasional support with hair washing and hair drying when needed.
• Physical support with everyday tasks, including bringing items to me when needed and generally helping make day-to-day tasks more manageable.
• Support with outings and attending appointments.
• Driving me to appointments, errands and outings using my manual vehicle.
• Assisting with loading and unloading my mobility scooters or manual wheelchair (guidance and training will be provided) into my car with a ramp.
• Practical help with paperwork, organisation and administrative tasks.
• General day-to-day support depending on my health and energy levels at the time.
Additional information I live with a highly intelligent and demanding Bengal cat who expects appropriate levels of admiration. She also has some health issues and regular vet visits, so support workers need to be comfortable around cats and able to carry a cat carrier safely when required. Successful applicants must be fully willing to work fragrance-free during shifts due to my allergies to fragranced products. This is the single biggest non-negotiable part of the role. This may include making changes to products such as laundry detergent, fabric conditioner, deodorant, perfume, hairspray, skincare or other products if needed. Because some products linger more than others, there will be a trial period to identify and resolve any fragrance issues. Ideally applicants will be able to drive a manual vehicle. It also needs to be possible to add you to my vehicle insurance at a reasonable cost, which in practice usually means holding a full, clean driving licence and having driven for a reasonable length of time. Insurance eligibility will be checked before any job offer is made. Applicants must also be willing to learn how to safely operate the wheelchair ramp and, where required, load and secure mobility scooters. Guidance and training will be provided. For shorter shifts, driving my vehicle may not be required. In these cases, applicants may instead use their own vehicle for local errands, provided they have appropriate business-use insurance. I do not require applicants to have any specific formal qualifications. The most important thing is finding people who are the right fit to work closely with me. Being practical, capable and flexible, quick to learn and able to manage tasks independently is much more important to me than formal qualifications.

Up to 24 hours per week available, either with one person or shared across a team. Applications welcomed from those seeking either some or all of the available hours. £14.10 per hour Support is primarily in my home in the Melton / Woodbridge area and the local surrounding area, with occasional outings further afield.