Do you Live in Margate?

Do you want to work in domiciliary Care?

We are looking to recruit a number of people to join our team of care and support workers in Thanet. We currently provide help to around 250 people and employ over 100 people. We are particularly keen to recruit car drivers in  Margate. However, we have work throughout Thanet.

Caremark Thanet's Fun Day

We are looking for people with talent and ambition; who are flexible and reliable; and who share our ambition to transform domiciliary care. When you work for us you are never just a carer; you are one of the most important people in our business.  

Our ethos: "We believe that our customers are the most important people for our business; that our care and support workers are the most important people in our business; that a socially responsible business is most important for everyone. We are part of the service sector."

We have some fantastic opportunities for the right people. These are not just jobs; they are careers. We can offer very competitive rates of pay; petrol payments;  promotion opportunities; pensions; free uniforms, and last, but by no means least, some of the most exciting training opportunities in Thanet. 

Do you want to work for a company that has an ambitious vision? Do you want to work for a company that is uncompromisingly and unrelentingly customer focused? Do you want to work for a company that recognises and rewards your reliability, hard work and commitment? Do you want to work for a company that is engaged with the local community?

Our Vision: "To be Thanet’s first choice private domiciliary care provider for customers and carers."

Don't miss these fabulous opportunities. If we sound like a company that you would like to work for, contact us today on: 01843 235910 or email: thanet@caremark.co.uk.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Caremark Thanet Deliver Easter Eggs

Caremark Thanet Say Thank You to Its Home Care Customers and Carers

For the last five years we have delivered Easter eggs to all our domiciliary care customers and care and support workers. This year is no eggception (sorry).

If there are any eggs left after certain people have got their hands on them, we will have a number of care an support workers out delivering eggs to our customers, and each of our care and support workers will have an egg with his or her name waiting in the office.

We have also donated a few eggs to the elderly care wards at the Queen Mary the Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

An Easter egg is a small gift but it says an enormous amount. It says thank you to our customers for trusting us to provide your care. It says thank you to our care and support workers for the often magnificent work that you do. And it says to those in hospital that we are all part of one community.

From Caremark Thanet, happy Easter to our customers, our carers an our community.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or emailgarry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website atwww.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Do you want to work in Domiciliary Care?

Do you want to work in domiciliary Care?

We are looking to recruit a number of people to join our team of care and support workers in Thanet. We currently provide help to around 120 people and employ close on 90 carers. We are particularly keen to recruit car drivers in the areas of Ramsgate and Broadstairs. However, we have work throughout Thanet.

We are looking for people with talent and ambition; who are flexible and reliable; and who share our ambition to transform domiciliary care. When you work for us you are never just a carer; you are one of the most important people in our business. 

Our ethos: "We believe that our customers are the most important people for our business; that our care and support workers are the most important people in our business; that a socially responsible business is most important for everyone. We are part of the service sector."

We have some fantastic opportunities for the right people. These are not just jobs; they are careers. We can offer very competitive rates of pay; petrol payments; bonus payments; promotion opportunities; pensions; free uniforms, and last, but by no means least, some of the most exciting training opportunities in Thanet. 

Do you want to work for a company that has an ambitious vision? Do you want to work for a company that is uncompromisingly and unrelentingly customer focused? Do you want to work for a company that recognises and rewards your reliability, hard work and commitment? Do you want to work for a company that is engaged with the local community?

Our Vision: "To be Thanet’s first choice private domiciliary care provider for customers and carers."

If we sound like a company that you would like to work for, contact us today on: 01843 235910 or email: thanet@caremark.co.uk.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

It's our Birthday

It's Our Birthday...

...and we are having a party! We are Caremark Thanet and in November 2012 we were registered with the Care Quality Commission; so that makes us five years old. On Wednesday 8 November 2017 - between 2.00 - 4.00 in the afternoon - we are having a little celebration at The Yarrow Hotel in Broadstairs. We have invited all our customers and carers (and a few others) to join us for a cup of tea or coffee and a slice of cake.

Our cake is being made for us by Baps and Bloomers who are based in Sandwich - wherever possible we always like to work with local businesses as we passionately believe that when local businesses support local businesses local people benefit, the local economy benefits and, of course, local businesses benefit. Incidentally, if you are ever near King Street in Sandwich pay a visit to Baps and Bloomers: you will not be disappointed. Our cake is going to be large enough for 250 people.

We know that many of our customers will not be able to be with us on the day. So what we are doing is getting two or three of our care and support workers to hand deliver a slice of cake to each person. We're sure they'll love it.

Our Story

My name is Garry and I'm the managing director of Caremark Thanet. My wife, Jayne, and I started the company in 2012. I'd worked in education and education management for over twenty years and Jayne had been a nurse - indeed, Jayne was still working one day a week in a doctors' surgery in Ramsgate until last year. When we started the business, we had two principal aims - in addition to making a living for ourselves. We wanted to provide a very high quality care service to the residents of Thanet and we wanted to provide employment for people in Thanet. These may seem like naively noble aims; but I don't think we have fared too badly.

In December 2012, we had one customer and one carer. We were delivering about 3 hours of care per week to that one person. How things have changed. At the time of writing this article, we have cared for almost 250 people, we are delivering just short of 1500 hours of care per week and we have about 80 people working for us.Those 80 people about 45 full time jobs. In November 2016, the Care Quality Commission judge our service to be good overall.

We have a very clear ethos: We believe that our customers are the most important for our business; that our care and support workers are the most important people in our business; that a socially responsible business is most important for everyone.

Our Future

Human beings cannot foresee the future, but that should never prevent us planning for the future. Any plan is an attempt to fashion the future and there are always events that may conspire against us. However, we certainly have plans for the future. 

We aim to continue to delivery outstanding care to each of our customers. We aim to continue to grow and deliver more high quality care to more of the residents of Thanet. We aim to expand our care services into such other areas as Canterbury, Dover and Shepway. And we aim to transform domiciliary care. We believe that working in home care is a career and should offer the opportunities and benefits commensurate with having a career. We have a very simple and ambitious vision: To be Thanet's first choice domiciliary care provider for customers and carers.

If you'd like to be a part of our future, contact us today.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

The Transformation of Domiciliary Care

Why Work in Domiciliary Care?

Why should anyone want to work in domiciliary care? There are multiple reasons, very compelling reasons, but let's face it domiciliary care does not always enjoy a good press. Spend more than a few minutes searching the internet and you will find plenty of stories to put you off working in domiciliary care.

However, I believe that there is reason for working in home care that, perhaps, you have not thought of. And that reason is that domiciliary care is changing - let's not put too fine a point on this: it is not just changing; it is transforming. It is not there yet. There is some way to go. But the change has started. And we intend to be instrumental in that transformation.

Yes, the world of domiciliary care is changing. It is a change for the better. It is a change that benefits those who work in care and those who receive care. Working in care is no longer "just a job" and those who work in care are no longer "just carers". This change is happening; it is happening now, it will continue, it has to continue, it cannot be slowed.

Domiciliary care has to evolve into a profession. It has to be seen by potential workers as a career. It has to be able to offer people opportunities to gain valuable experiences and qualifications. It has to become an industry where those who are prepared to shoulder responsibility are rewarded. This is a transformation. A transformation that will not happen without a driving force. That driving force must in the first instance be employers; in the second instance carers and potential carers.   

The Brave New World of Home Care: Is It for You?

If working in domiciliary care is truly going to offer you a career, it must transform into a place where there are greater opportunities and greater rewards. It must offer these opportunities and rewards to two groups of people who occupy two ends of a spectrum and to all those who fall in between. As is often the case, few people occupy the extremes of the spectrum; most fall somewhere in between.

At one end of the spectrum are those of you who are eminently reliable, conspicuously good at your jobs, see caring as a calling but, for various reasons, do not want to take on the burden of too much extra responsibility. You are very happy to be well trained and develop your skills because you know this enables you to provide the outstanding care that your customers have a right to receive and you have a duty to deliver. You will be very happy that care is gaining an enhanced status; you will see this as an enormous benefit for you and your customers. You will also be pleased that there are greater opportunities emerging and that, should your circumstances change, you may be able to avail yourselves of these opportunities.

At the other end of the spectrum are those of you who want a career; therefore, you may initially have entered care as a stepping stone into nursing or some other profession. You may have gone into care unsure of what you wanted and discovered you like it a great deal. Whatever your precise circumstances, you find you have joined a company that is ambitious, and has the vision to see how things must develop, and has the drive to implement change, and the awareness to recognise talent, and the desire to reward hard work. You may now realise that you are working for a dynamic company in an embryonic profession where there exists manifest opportunities for capable, enthusiastic people. Moreover, you can play a part in helping the profession mature.

This world of domiciliary care is one where the expectations upon you will be high and where diligence and talent are rewarded. It is a career, a vocation, a profession. It is not a refuge for the feckless but a proving ground for the capable; it is not a harbour for apathy but a home for industry, for enterprise, for energy, for enthusiasm.

Why Should You Work in Domiciliary Care?

Do you recognise yourself on the spectrum I have described above? Then the question for you is answered. Do you recognise the changes I have described? They are happening. Why not play a part? 

Why not find out more?

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Care and Support Workers Recruitment Open Day: 12 September 2017

Caremark Thanet held another exceptionally successful open day on Tuesday 12 September 2017 for prospective care and support workers. The purpose of these events is to provide information to people who want to work in domiciliary care, generally, and for Caremark Thanet, in particular.

Fourteen people attended the event at the The Yarrow Hotel in Broadstairs. The format of the event aims to give people all the information they need to make an informed choice about working in domiciliary care for Caremark Thanet.

Business Development Manager, Jemma Clayton, got things started with an introduction session. This was followed by a brief presentation by Managing Director, Garry Costain, which focused on the high expectations that the company has for its care and support workers and the rewards and opportunities that are available for outstanding, reliable care workers. Following the presentation, there was then a chance for people to ask Garry any questions that they had.

Next, attendees had the chance to chat with one of Caremark Thanet's care and support workers and its Senior Supervisor. This was a chance for people to ask someone who is doing the job questions about what it is really like to work for Caremark Thanet.

All attending received application forms; several were filled in immediately and several more have been returned subsequently. Interviews will be held over the next two weeks or so.

If you'd like more information about working for Caremark Thanet or about future open days call: 01843 235910; email: thanet@caremark.co.uk.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Care and Support Worker Recruitment Open Day 12 September 2017

 

Caremark Thanet is a domiciliary care company that provides care throughout Thanet. On the 12 September 2017 we will be holding one of our Care and Support Worker Open Days at the The Yarrow Hotel, Ramsgate Road, Broadstairs, CT10 1PN. There will be two sessions: one starting at 10.30 am and the second at 12.00 midday.

These events have proved incredibly popular with people looking to work in domiciliary care. The main purpose of the event is to provide potential care and support workers with information about working in care generally, and working for Caremark Thanet more specifically.

You Have a Choice: The Care Act 2014 and Your Right to Direct Payments

You Have a Choice

This article offers advice about choosing your domiciliary care provider. It is particularly aimed at people who are, or who are seeking to be, wholly or partly funded by social services. If you fund your own domiciliary care you can choose your provider. The same is also true if you are funded through social services: you have a choice. You may be very happy for someone to sort everything out for you: and there is nothing wrong with that. However, the fact that you are reading this suggests that you might be interested in exploring your options. Let’s look, then, at what having a choice means.

Social Services Assessments

I have written about these in previous articles so I’ll keep this quite brief. To qualify for social services funding there are two assessments required. The first is a needs assessment the second is a means test, an assessment of finances. You can read my articles on needs assessments and financial assessments by clicking the links.

If you qualify for social services support you will be given a personal budget. If you wish to choose your own care provider you can have your budget paid to you as a direct payment. As I said above, you do not have to do this. It is your choice. Whoever does your assessment should advise you that this choice is open to you.

Direct Payments

If you choose not to have a direct payment, social services will sort everything out for you. If you do choose a direct payment, you can look after it yourself or someone can look after it for you. Someone who looks after your direct payment for you is referred to as your nominated person.

You have a right to have a direct payment. It is enshrined in law. Section 31 of the Care Act 2014 says that if you request a direct payment, the Local Authority to which the request is made “must” make the payment to you. In an Act of Parliament, the word “must” used in this context means that a duty is imposed on a body or bodies, in this case Local Authorities. Where there is a duty imposed on a body there is usually a right granted to another allowing enforcement of that duty. In this case you have the right to a direct payment that is enforceable against the Local Authority.

There are certain circumstances where social services can refuse a direct payment request. However, under usual circumstances, so long as you are able to consent to having direct payments you will be entitled to them.

The Benefits of Direct Payments

As this is public money, quite rightly, you cannot spend a direct payment on just anything; and you will be audited by your Local Authority. Direct payments do, though, give you a large element of control over your care package. Direct payments allow you to choose your home care provider rather than having one chosen for you. But it is more than that. There are wider benefits that flow from exercising choice. 

Choice promotes dignity, and brings independence, and self-reliance, and enhances well-being, and satisfaction and peace of mind, and gives a sense of achievement: And these are benefits that should never be underestimated.

Nothing, though, is set in stone. You can change your mind. If you decide to allow Social Services to look after things for you, you can, at a later date, choose to have a direct payment. There is flexibility in the system to work for you. For more information about obtaining a direct payment and changing home care providers click on this link.

You have a choice.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Care and Support Worker Recruitment Open Day 11 July 2017

Caremark Thanet is a domiciliary care company that provides care throughout Thanet. On the 11 July 2017 we will be holding one of our Care and Support Worker Open Days at the The Trinity Community Resource Centre, St Mary's Avenue, Margate CT9 3TN. There will be two sessions: one starting at 10.30 am and the second at 12.00 midday.

These events have proved incredibly popular with people looking to work in domiciliary care. The main purpose of the event is to provide potential care and support workers with information about working in care generally, and working for Caremark Thanet more specifically.

Working in domiciliary care presents challenges and brings enormous rewards. It is a career that is not for everyone. If you have never worked in care and want to get some idea about what is involved; this event may be just right for you. Experience is useful but not essential. What we look for is people who are caring, reliable, hardworking and flexible.

If you have care experience, you will probably be more concerned about finding out what it is like working for Caremark Thanet. Working for us will not suit everyone. We have high expectations; in turn; you rightly should have high expectations of us. We are a company that is prepared to invest in the right people. If you feel you have something to offer; come along and see what we can offer you.

The format of the session will probably go something like this:

First, there will be an introduction session led by our Business Development Manager, Jemma Clayton.

Second, there will be a presentation from the managing director of Caremark Thanet, Garry Costain. This presentation gives the audience a little bit of information about our history; emphasises the company’s ethos based on an uncompromising approach to the quality of care delivery and valuing of our carers; outlines the benefits of working for us and the wider opportunities available, and rounds off with a glimpse of the plans for how our success story will continue.

Third, there will be an opportunity to ask Garry any questions that the audience might have.

Finally, we always try to invite along one or more of our carers so that the audience can ask questions directly to someone who is, in fact, doing the job.

The feedback from our most recent open day on 7th March was extra-ordinarily positive. Most people went away with one of our application packs. We subsequently interviewed several candidates and were able to offer jobs to some of these people.

Spaces are limited so you are strongly advised to book a place. To guarantee your place, please contact Jemma Clayton on 01843 235910 or email jemma.clayton@caremark.co.uk.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on01843 235910or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Thanet Has a Super-Hero: The Caped Comedian

A special announcement: this article will end with another special announcement

By day, Jay Harrison is an ordinary man, doing an extra-ordinary job, in a remarkable office, staffed by unforgettable people, working for the World’s Best Company (as voted for (following heavy bribery) by Jay Harrison and the unforgettable people he works with). But by night he becomes: The Caped Comedian.

At the age of 17 Jay’s life was transformed when he ate genetically modified mango chutney while watching old Abbott and Costello films. He woke up at 3.00 am with an urge he just could not control; an itch he could not scratch; a craving so strong he could think of only one thing; he had to find relief and he knew relief could be found in only one way: He had to be funny.

Five minutes later, Jay told his first joke- to himself. His craving was satisfied for the time being and he knew where his destiny lay: from now, his life would be dedicated to ridding Thanet of the evils of grumpiness. But first he had to learn how to control his super-power.

By day Jay wasn’t working. This is a problem for this article because it means that by day, as Jay Harrison, he wasn’t at this point in our story an ordinary man doing an extra-ordinary job. He needed to be, because we need to be able to say in this article – purely because it gives a narrative coherence to the article - that by day, as Jay Harrison, an ordinary man doing an extra-ordinary job he could never be funny or else his cover would be blown, and people, innocent people, might be harmed.

However, by night, as the Caped Comedian, he could use his super-power mercilessly and mirthfully against the forces of grumpiness. But controlling his uncontrollable urge would not be easy because it was uncontrollable.

He knew that with great power comes great responsibility (sorry that’s Spiderman). He knew he was the most powerful being on earth (oops no that’s Superman). He knew he was Bruce Wayne (Batman). Frankly, he knew very little, apart from the fact that he had to get a job so that by day he could be – and we can say he was - an ordinary man doing you know what.

And he did get a job. He became by day an ordinary man doing …something. He became Caremark Thanet’s Financial Controller.  At first, just one reckless, witty monosyllabic quip from his almost infinite store of reckless, witty monosyllabic quips could reduce a co-worker to a helpless, howling, undisciplined, uncontrollable, rolling, reeling, laughter junkie. The only cure for her would be to go cold turkey while listening to re-runs of the Money Programme, first aired on Radio 4 during the financial crash.

Over-time, Jay, an ordinary… has learnt to control his super-power. He uses it now only when he becomes the Caped Comedian and only against the grumpy people.  And only in Thanet.

And now a special announcement: 

The Caped Comedian will be appearing as Jay Harrison at the Charity Comedy Night at Bernie’s Chocolate Bar on 30 June 2017 starting at 7.30pm. This event is sponsored by Caremerk Thanet where an ordinary man named Jay Harrison works doing an extra-ordinary job. Money raised will go to East Kent Hospital’s Dementia Appeal. Jay Harrison an... invites you to attend. Be there or you’ll be somewhere else.

Another special announcement: 

This article ends with this special announcement. You’ve read the article; you’ll see the act, now, look out for the film: The Caped Comedian staring Daniel Radcliffe (in the most challenging role of his career) as the Caped Comedian in the film The Caped Comedian staring ….

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Care and Support Workers Recruitment Open Day: 24 May 2017

Caremark Thanet held another successful open day on Wednesday 24 May 2017 for prospective care and support workers. The purpose of these events is to provide information to people who want to work in domiciliary care, generally, and for Caremark Thanet, in particular.

Ten people attended the event at the Oak Hotel in Ramsgate. The format of the event aims to give people all the information they need to make an informed choice about working in domiciliary care for Caremark Thanet.

Business Development Manager, Jemma Clayton, got things started with an introduction session. This was followed by a brief presentation by Managing Director, Garry Costain, which focused on the high expectations that the company has for its care and support workers and the rewards and opportunities that are available for outstanding, reliable care workers.

There was then a chance for people to ask Garry any questions that they had. Amongst other things, Garry explained that guaranteed hours contracts may be available for people who want them and prove themselves to be reliable; that all care and support workers are entitled to 28 days paid holiday per year, and that there are promotion and training opportunities available for ambitious people.

Following Garry's presentation, attendees had the chance to chat with one of Caremark Thanet's care and support workers. This is a chance for people to ask someone who is doing the job questions about what it is really like to work for Caremark Thanet.

Eight application forms were given out; one candidate was interviewed on the day and offered a position and there are six interviews scheduled for week beginning 29 May 2017.

If you'd like more information about working for Caremark Thanet call: 01843 235910; email: thanet@caremark.co.uk.

 Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Care and Support Worker Recruitment Open Day, Royal Oak Hotel Ramsgate, 24th May 2017

Caremark Thanet is a domiciliary care company that provides care throughout Thanet. On the 24th May 2017 we will be holding one of our Care and Support Worker Open Days at the Royal Oak Hotel in Ramsgate. The full address is 66 Harbour Parade, Ramsgate, CT11 8LN. There will be two sessions: one starting at 10.30 am and the second at 12.00 midday.

These events have proved incredibly popular with people looking to work in domiciliary care. The main purpose of the event is to provide potential care and support workers with information about working in care generally, and working for Caremark Thanet more specifically.

Working in domiciliary care presents challenges and brings enormous rewards. It is a career that is not for everyone. If you have never worked in care and want to get some idea about what is involved; this event may be just right for you. Experience is useful but not essential. What we look for is people who are caring, reliable, hardworking and flexible.

If you have care experience, you will probably be more concerned about finding out what it is like working for Caremark Thanet. Working for us will not suit everyone. We have high expectations; in turn; you rightly should have high expectations of us. We are a company that is prepared to invest in the right people. If you feel you have something to offer; come along and see what we can offer you.

The format of the session will probably go something like this:

First, there will be an introduction session led by our Business Development Manager, Jemma Clayton.

Second, there will be a presentation from the managing director of Caremark Thanet, Garry Costain. This presentation gives the audience a little bit of information about our history; emphasises the company’s ethos based on an uncompromising approach to the quality of care delivery and valuing of our carers; outlines the benefits of working for us and the wider opportunities available, and rounds off with a glimpse of the plans for how our success story will continue.

Third, there will be  an opportunity to ask Garry any questions that the audience might have.

Finally, we always try to invite along one or more of our carers so that the audience can ask questions directly to someone who is, in fact, doing the job.

The feedback from our most recent open day on 7th  March was extra-ordinarily positive. Most people went away with one of our application packs. We subsequently interviewed several candidates and were able to offer jobs to some of these people.

Spaces are limited so you are strongly advised to book a place. To guarantee your place, please contact Jemma Clayton on 01843 235910 or email jemma.clayton@caremark.co.uk.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Synaesthesia a Literal Metaphor

Those of you of a certain age will doubtlessly know the song Poetry in Motion by Johnny Tillotson. If you want a little wander down memory lane click here. If you know the song; have you ever thought about the words? If you are not familiar with the words; take a quick look here.

How can you see poetry in motion? Of course, it's a metaphor and like many metaphors in the English language the image is one that relates to our senses. Some people, however, may be able to see poetry in motion. They are synaesthetes. Seeing poetry in motion is also a very good example of synaesthesia.

Synaesthesia, says the NHS Choices website, "is a condition where a sensation in one of the senses, such as hearing, triggers a sensation in another, such as taste. 

“For example, some people with synaesthesia can taste numbers or hear colours. 

“A wide range of different synaesthetic experiences have been reported and recorded – a typical example is someone who described experiencing the colour red every time he heard the word Monday"

I have a very mild form of synaesthesia. I tend to see words in colour. Often the colour will be dictated by the first letter of the word – the word “dictated”, for example is grey for me (the letter “D” I see I my mind’s eye as grey). Seeing letters of the alphabet in colour is common amongst synaesthetes. The letter “A” is often red – it is for me also; “B” is often blue – again the same for me, although over the years I think there has increasingly been a tendency for a touch of green to appear.

When I was very young, I used to see the colours very vividly indeed. The days of the week – strangely not taking their colours from their first letters – are experienced by me as: yellow Monday; blue Tuesday; brown Wednesday; red Thursday; grey Friday, black Saturday and cream Sunday. Tuesday and Thursday are still quite vividly blue and red. The other days have become less intense – I always describe this as the colours becoming increasingly watery.

And so it is that many of the colours I experience have become watered down. This is especially the case with letters of the alphabet. The letters “C”, “D”, “I”, and “O” are now almost indistinguishable to me in terms of their colours. Once, “C” was probably a very distinct grey and “D” very white. Now, however, they are both a very watery grey (as are “I” and “O”), so watery the colour(s) appears to me as almost transparent.

Until about 10 years or so ago when I heard something on the radio about synaesthesia, I had never thought much about how I experience colours. It has always been with me and as far as I knew everyone experienced things similarly to how I experienced them. Synaesthetes often say they have never known anything different. After hearing the radio programme, I realized that I probably wasn’t in the majority. The usual reaction I get when I explain things to people is one of surprise.

Clearly, I’m not in the majority. Only, about 4% of people, it is estimated, are synaesthetes. Some experience a mixing of their senses to a much greater degree than I do. The NHS Choices website explains that synaesthesia is usually with you from childhood and only rarely does its onset occur in adulthood. The cause of synaesthesia is apparently because our brains are wired differently. There is some evidence, the NHS Choices website points out, that synaesthesia may be linked with “…enhanced memory, superior perception and being able to think more quickly.” Sadly, I have experienced none of those qualities.

Poetry in Motion was written by Paul Kaufman and Mike Anthony: I wonder if they were synaesthetes?

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Caremark Thanet: Care and Support Worker Open Days

On Tuesday 7 March, we held the third of our carer open days. The first was held at our offices; the second and third were held at Smith Court’s Hotel in Margate.

Smith Court’s Hotel is a superb venue and the staff there look after us very well. The open day on 7 March was very well attended – 18 prospective care and support workers in total over two sessions.

The purposes of these days are to provide information, advice and guidance to people who think that they might want to work in domiciliary care, and more specifically to work for Caremark Thanet.

The format of the day is typically as follows:

First, there is an introduction session led by our Business Development Manager, Jemma Clayton.

Second, there is a presentation from the managing director of Caremark Thanet, Garry Costain. This presentation gives the audience a little bit of information about our history; emphasises the company’s ethos based on an uncompromising approach to the quality of care delivery and valuing of our carers; outlines the benefits of working for us and the wider opportunities available, and rounds off with a glimpse of the plans for how our success story will continue.

Third, there is an opportunity to ask Garry any questions that the audience might have.

Finally, we always try to invite along one or more of our carers so that the audience can ask questions directly to someone who is, in fact, doing the job.

The feedback from our 7 March open day was extra-ordinarily positive. Most people went away with one of our application packs. We interviewed two people on the day, one of whom attended an induction the next day. We have subsequently interviewed three other people to whom we have offered positions with us.

Many thanks to all those who attended and to Smith’s Court Hotel for its hospitality.

If you’d like information about our next open day, contact Jemma Clayton on 01843 235910 or email jemma.clayton@caremark.co.uk.

Garry Costain is the Managing Director of Caremark Thanet, a domiciliary care provider with offices in Margate, Kent. Caremark Thanet provides home care services throughout the Isle of Thanet. Garry can be contacted on 01843 235910 or email garry.costain@caremark.co.uk. You can also visit Caremark Thanet's website at www.caremark.co.uk/thanet.

Do You Work in Domiciliary Care?

Do You Work in Domiciliary Care?

Are you looking for something new?

We are Caremark Thanet: Providers of Outstanding Domiciliary Care to the Residents of Thanet.

We are looking to recruit a small number of experienced care and support workers to supplement our existing team. We are looking for people to cover: Margate, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Westgate and Birchington.

If you would like to find out more about the opportunities that are available with us please telephone  01843 235910. 

You can also visit our website: www.caremark.co.uk

and Facebook page: facebook.com/caremarkthanet

If you feel that we are the type of company that you would like to work for: telephone me now.