Personal Assistant (5004)

I am a sixty-year-old woman who lives in Elmswell. I have been diagnosed with various health conditions which affect my day-to-day life and therefore I am looking for a Personal Assistant who can support me.

I have lived with ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) for many years and although I have had times where it has been more manageable, I have found that the last few years have been especially difficult as my ME has been particularly bad. I also suffer with Psoriatic Arthritis which affects the mobility of my joints as it causes them to become inflamed. These conditions tend to work against each other, meaning that I am constantly fatigued.

The vulnerability that I feel due to my conditions has caused me to suffer from Agoraphobia and I am very nervous about going out - especially if I feel like I am not in control. My ME means that I have a 'sensory overload' which can add to the anxiety. I was also diagnosed with C-PTSD in 1988 and this can at times be incredibly challenging. It would be helpful if my PA had some understanding of this and my recurrent depression

Despite this, I am a friendly, chatty and approachable person - I love doing creative things and being out in my garden. I am looking for someone with a similar nature who is empathetic and understanding, as well as pro-active and reliable.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

· General housekeeping and home-based support

o Some examples of the work you might do: Ironing, Light gardening/assisting me in the garden if I am feeling well, cleaning, hoovering, washing up etc

· A full clean driving licence with access to their own car, and business insurance which allows you to us your car for work purposes

· Someone who is compassionate, non-judgmental and empathetic and who understands how I like to live

· Someone with a strong understanding of confidentiality and who is happy to use these skills in their work with me

· Someone who is confident with their work and able to self-direct their own tasks and work unaided, when necessary

· Someone who is flexible, reliable and trustworthy and who respects the importance of the role

Desirable Criteria

· Someone with an experience in a similar role

· Someone with an understanding of ME and the challenges it can bring

· Someone who is like-minded and who enjoys similar activities to me

o 12 hours per week - flexible times to be agreed with candidate. Shifts would be arranged between 11am and 4pm on weekdays. Occasional shifts booked in advance but will generally be decided between the two of us.

o Pay rate: £11.44 per hour

· Annual leave: The annual holiday entitlement for this position will be equivalent to the work normally done during 5.6 weeks (statutory entitlement).

· Expenses: You will be reimbursed for prior agreed expenses incurred as part of the role.

· Sick pay: I do not operate a private sick pay scheme but provided you meet the eligibility criteria, you may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

· Pension: I do not operate a private pension scheme but I will fulfil my statutory obligations via the NEST pension scheme.

The post is subject to the following

· Background check: A satisfactory Enhanced with Adults Barred List Disclosure and Barring Service check is required for this position.

o If you have been convicted of a criminal offence, please send these details to SIL in a separate email or in a sealed envelope together with a stamped addressed envelope. This will not be shared unless you are shortlisted for the post.

References: If successful, you will be required to provide details of two referees, one of which must be your current or most recent employer, or character references if you have not been employed

· Trial period: This post is subject to a probationary period of 3 months.