I haven't ever seen any place that asks for medical and physical descriptions. What kind of care would you be providing? I know some people who work in care homes have to be very strong, to restrain their clients as necessary.
If it's a job caring for the elderly, they probably want to know like... If someone weighs 120lbs and falls and can't help themselves up, can you lift them to a seated position and more? My grandmother is 91 and weight roughly 160 and is only a one-person lift if someone is very strong; she's becoming a two person assist. So if they have lots of lighter people, it's not as much of a big deal, but if the average weight of the people in care facility is 160 and need more help, they need people who can lift them.
What I do when they ask me this question is kind of deflect it and talk about what I'm good at. I tell them that I'm social work oriented and I'm always the one people come to for help.
As for the care assistant job, they need to know if you're in good health. Care assistants' backs can become problems and they need to know that you'd be able to do transfers with no problem.
They're not weird questions if you already had experience in the field. If you're working in a long term care facility, sickness spread around like the plague. They won't let you work if you're visibly sick so you can't be prone to illness (or very much so). You need to be TB negative and have a clear bill of health before you can start assisting.
Physical descriptions aren't literal. They just want to know if you're too overweight to work, frail, etc.
For the physical description, I would say they are looking for something more along the lines of heavyset, muscular, small frame but works out frequently or something of the like. Be honest and don't over-estimate what you can do. (ie, if you're a petite person that doesn't work out and thinks a trip through the mall is working out, then I wouldn't use any words that might indicate that you could lift anyone your weight or more!)
Comments 7
Reply
Reply
My grandmother is 91 and weight roughly 160 and is only a one-person lift if someone is very strong; she's becoming a two person assist. So if they have lots of lighter people, it's not as much of a big deal, but if the average weight of the people in care facility is 160 and need more help, they need people who can lift them.
Reply
As for the care assistant job, they need to know if you're in good health. Care assistants' backs can become problems and they need to know that you'd be able to do transfers with no problem.
They're not weird questions if you already had experience in the field. If you're working in a long term care facility, sickness spread around like the plague. They won't let you work if you're visibly sick so you can't be prone to illness (or very much so). You need to be TB negative and have a clear bill of health before you can start assisting.
Physical descriptions aren't literal. They just want to know if you're too overweight to work, frail, etc.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment