Nefesh BNefesh

Geriatric personal care, known in Hebrew as “Siud”, is a field that employs people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Most of the Olim who work in geriatric care come with training in social work, nursing or therapy, though some have no prior experience or training in a related field. Several work settings are available, including at-home personal care and residential homes for the elderly. Providing care for the elderly is generally not a high paying vocation, though it can be extremely fulfilling work.

Interview with Tamar Abaye from Anglo Agency
A special thanks to Tamar Abaye from Anglo Agency for participating in this interview. Together with Yocheved Groom, she brings to Jerusalem experience from the UK, South Africa, and Australia in the field of geriatric personal care. Anglo Agency aims to provide a career in a meaningful occupation to English-speakers in Jerusalem, and to provide excellent assistance to an English-speaking clientele. Anglo Agency is located at 20 Bezalel St. in Jerusalem. You can contact them at 02 625 4328, fax 1532 625 4328, and at their website: www.angloagency.com  

Please provide us with a description of your current position.
I am a Care Manager in an agency that provides Jewish, English-speaking caretakers and housekeepers to the English-speaking community of Jerusalem.  This includes personal care for those with physical disabilities due to age, disease and debilitation resulting from dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and stroke.

What is the best way to find a job in the field of elderly care?
There are many agencies dealing with elderly care in Jerusalem as well as residential care homes.  Although many of the positions in home care are taken by foreign workers, there are always families who wish to have someone from their own cultural background filling the personal care need in the home.

What are the different settings available for work in elderly care? What types of places hire elderly care workers?

1. In-home care agencies that work like employment agencies: The agency finds you a position and charges a commission to the family employing the worker. The family or the worker will then be responsible for the worker’s social benefits, such as Bituach Leumi, holiday pay, convalescence pay and severance pay.
2. In-Home Care agencies that employ workers:  In this arrangement, the agency pays all of the employees’ social benefits and provides them with as much work as they would like.
3. Residential care homes: Employees work either as full time care helpers/caretakers for the institution or as part time caretakers for the more mobile residents in secure apartments. These residents employ the caretaker privately.
4. Private care work: In this scenario, the worker will advertise his/her services and be responsible for his/her own benefits and taxation payments.

What educational background is necessary in order to work in this field?
No educational degree is needed. However, a certain personality is needed to work with the elderly.  A person who wants to work in aged care should be caring, empathetic, and patient. You should picture yourself as an old person who needs to be cared for by a stranger -- how would you like to be treated?

To work in this field, you must be able to treat people coping with varying issues with respect: such as someone who may no longer understand the niceties of social behavior due to a lessening of his/her mental faculties; someone who is frustrated with limitations; someone who is in the beginning stages of dementia and needs to have things repeated over and over; someone who can no longer control his/her bodily functions. These issues should provoke a feeling of compassion, not irritation.

What are the differences between elderly care in Israel and abroad?
In Israel, there is a great dependence on foreign workers for 24 hour care – essentially because it is affordable. You are able to have someone live with you for a much lower cost than if you hired an Israeli. Other than that, it seems that the majority of home care agencies also pay minimum wage to their workers.  Abroad, home care workers are paid at a higher rate -- in other words, it is a far more financially worthwhile occupation abroad.

What are the benefits of working in this field?
Although it can at times be draining, it is also enormously fulfilling and satisfying to be able to make a difference in someone’s day-to-day living.

Does an Oleh in elderly care have to speak Hebrew?
In order to have a wider variety of jobs available to you, it is always an asset to speak Hebrew. However, many agencies are very happy to have an English speaker working for them, as there are many Oleh families who do not speak Hebrew.

What are the benefits of working in a company run by and for Olim?
I think the main benefit is that Olim are accustomed to the standards of overseas employment and treatment. Although the social benefits are very good in Israel, the manners are completely different.  Also, I believe that Olim are willing to pay a rate higher than minimum wage, which seems to be the norm here.

What is the salary range?
The salary could be from NIS 22 to 33.50 NIS per hour at an agency, plus benefits such as Bituach Leumi and pension. Privately, you could make 30-45 NIS, without those same benefits.

What are the upcoming areas of specialty you would recommend?
It would be useful to have an understanding of conditions such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It’s important to know how to use the equipment in the caregiver’s role and to be familiar with manual handling in order to protect the caregiver.

What recommendations can you offer Olim looking to work in this field?
Don’t expect to earn a fortune -- expect to earn a living in a very worthwhile occupation.

Other advice that Olim interested in working with the elderly should know?
You should make sure that you are insured by your employer and that you are trained in manual handling. Manual handling trains you how to protect your back and enforces the idea that if your client needs to be manhandled, they either need more than one carer or they need different equipment -- gone are the days where the carer lifts and hauls the client out of beds and into chairs. You should learn about the proper way to handle your clients so that you can work at keeping your body (specifically your back) protected on the job.

How do you feel about working and living here in Israel?
I love it! It is difficult and frustrating and exceptionally satisfying at the same time. I feel like I have been living life completely since I have been in Israel.

Resources:

• www.ozeret.co.il -- Hebrew database where caregivers can list their information and be contacted by employers.
• http://www.nursing.org.il/ -- Comprehensive website in Hebrew with siud information and links.
• http://www.retirementhomes.com/homes/Nursing_Care/International/Israel/index.html -- A listing (in English) of retirement homes in Israel.