Dover care service set to create 40 jobs

A NEW care service for older people that has opened in Dover will create 30 jobs across the district and another ten in Canterbury.

Home Instead Senior Care opened its Maison Dieu Road business last week. The franchise belongs to Dover couple Paul and Maddie Watts, who have run a residential home in the town for people with learning disabilities for the past 21 years.

Social worker Paul and occupational therapist Maddie, both 43, have now taken the decision to take the helm of the home-care service to cover the district and part of Canterbury.

The couple say their own experiences with both their fathers prompted them to get involved with offering something that means older people can get care but still live independently.

Dad-of-two Paul said: “We have had situations with our own parents when we felt that, if we could have accessed quality care to enable them to stay at home, it would have been better for both them and the family.

“My father had kidney cancer and would not accept care.

“My mum was his carer and she needed time off but social services do not allow for carers to have time off. All she needed was a break but didn’t get it.

“Maddie’s father ended up with four carers a day over several months and I don’t think we saw the same carer twice. At Home Instead, we have one carer to one older person and we don’t do half-hour slots – the average is two hours. This builds up a much closer personal relationship.

“Social-care resources are very stretched and residential care very expensive. Home Instead offers an alternative without compromise.”

Currently Paul and Maddie have three staff and four clients. They aim to expand staff numbers so more elderly people can use their companionship and home-care service.

Paul said: “Within two years, we want to create 30 jobs for Dover, Deal and Sandwich. We are employing as from now.

“We need like-minded, compassionate people to contact us to find out about the job opportunities we have for care-givers. They don’t need to have experience as full training will be given.”

For more information about the services or about joining the team, call 01304 241684 or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/dover