February's Care Assistant of the Month
Published: 26/02/2016
A passion for volunteering and helping people led to a change in career for Luis Albelda - our Care Assistant of the Month for February.
Luis only joined in October last year, but thanks to his naturally caring and compassionate nature he has quickly become an invaluable member of our team and very popular with all his customers and their families.
Originally a Business Manager from Spain, he had volunteered many times in his holidays, teaching maths to mentally and physically disabled people and working with the homeless in Paris. He later worked with impoverished older people in France, accompanying them on much-needed holidays, before applying for a job with Bluebird Care.
He said:
It was a lovely surprise to win Care Assistant of the Month – I was very honoured as I work with, and am still learning from, so many great colleagues. I feel very lucky to be here. I saw the job advertised in Spain and wasn’t sure whether to apply, but people who knew me told me I should and they were right!
I’m so happy in my work and I now realise that I wasn’t very satisfied before. This is my first caring job, although I have worked as a volunteer, so I knew that I enjoyed helping older people. I am very lucky to have some great colleagues and customers and I also feel very at home in England.”
Working with mentally and physically disabled people in Spain sparked a life-long love of helping people. He went on to work with a French charity, helping destitute women in Paris – who were often pregnant, to get access to health care and other support. He also worked with homeless people in his native Spain.I’m so happy in my work and I now realise that I wasn’t very satisfied before. This is my first caring job, although I have worked as a volunteer, so I knew that I enjoyed helping older people. I am very lucky to have some great colleagues and customers and I also feel very at home in England.”
Teaching maths had a big impact on me because I could see how hard the students had to work at it and it was so lovely and satisfying to help them. Later, when I worked with older people who had very little possessions, I accompanied them on holiday. One man didn’t have his own shower at home – it was a communal one – so he loved having showers every day! I found being with, and helping, these different people so interesting and rewarding. I felt that it was me that they helped and not the other way round.”
Owner Anne Inglis commented:Luis has been a great credit to himself and to Bluebird Care from the outset of his time with us. Originally from Valencia in Spain, he has lived and studied in Canada and has valuable experience.
He is a naturally warm, kind and caring person, exactly the sort of care professional we want at Bluebird Care. Very quickly, due to his maturity and compassion, Luis was receiving warm and generous compliments from his customers and their loved ones, and he is delighted to be having a positive impact on the quality of life for those he cares for. Luis also has a great sense of responsibility and dedication to his work with us, and is extremely popular with all his customers and colleagues.”
He is a naturally warm, kind and caring person, exactly the sort of care professional we want at Bluebird Care. Very quickly, due to his maturity and compassion, Luis was receiving warm and generous compliments from his customers and their loved ones, and he is delighted to be having a positive impact on the quality of life for those he cares for. Luis also has a great sense of responsibility and dedication to his work with us, and is extremely popular with all his customers and colleagues.”
