Most group home overnight shifts are “overnight-awake” shifts. Staying up all night in a quiet and dark house can be challenging.
The reasons that a group home would need staff to stay awake all night:
- Group home residents have seizures
- AWOL risk
- Unable to get out of bed without assistance
- Adult diapers need changing during overnight
- Resident needs to be repositioned regularly
- Medical care needs to be given during overnight
Ways to help yourself stay awake and be alert:
- Take nap before shift begins
- Limit caffeine to last half or later in shift
- Have things to do
- Set phone (or other alarm) to go off every hour or so
- Avoid laying down
- Every couple hours do something physically active
Group home residents will depend on you to be safe and comfortable throughout the night during your shift as group home support staff. Being prepared before your shift and getting adequate rest will assure that happens.
Overnight shifts can be challenging because you have to stay awake all night, but because many residents are sleeping most of the time, it often can be an easy shift. The advantages to overnight shifts:
- Once you clean, the house remains clean
- Crafts and other hobbies can be worked on during “down” time
- Homework/reading can be done
- Tasks can be completed with minimal interruption
- It’s quiet and relaxing
- If you are a parent, your children will be sleeping while you are at work
With good management of time and rest, a group home overnight shift can fit into school and family schedules easier than traditional shifts.