Find trusted Brazilian-speaking carers

I am Portuguese-Brazilian, 49 years old, married to an Englishman, and have an only daughter who is 31 years old. I have lived in England for almost 7 years, I am legally registered (I forgot to send my share code). I study and learned English on my own. I do not speak it perfectly or with excellent pronunciation, but it is enough to work, communicate and make myself understood. I have completed training in this area in the two companies where I have worked and still work. Sometimes it takes me a few seconds to understand what is being said to me. But it is the process of listening, translating into Portuguese and translating back into English. But I have managed to overcome all these challenges. And I am also immensely grateful for all the opportunities I have had here in England. During my time here, I have worked in a motorcycle parts manufacturing company, at the Hippodrome Casino in London, in different factories and temporary employment agencies, and also as a cleaner. I studied psychology for 3 years in Portugal, but I did not finish my course. I am very friendly, approachable, polite, kind, very human and generous. The care area was an extraordinary discovery in my life, because it helped me to understand and accept some gaps that I had in my life, especially with my father who passed away 2 years ago with dementia and a lot of physical mobility. I also took care of my ex-in-laws who had Alzheimer's in Portugal. And along with all this, I took care of my mother who had cancer. Although I have only worked as a caregiver for a year, I have a lot of experience in care, because when I worked at Quantum Care, I worked long days many days a week (an average of 14.5 hours a day) and often without time off (by choice). Well, I'm just sending this email to give you a brief description of who I am. Thank you for your attention. Erika Braga Coote

My path into care has taken me through care homes, a children's home and learning disability support, and for three years I stayed with one private client, building the kind of trust that only comes from turning up, day after day, and truly getting to know someone. I never trained as a nurse, but everything I know about attentive, compassionate care I have learned through hands on experience with real people and real needs. I offer live-in and overnight care in Peterborough, and I speak English, Spanish, Portuguese and Brazilian, which has often helped me connect with clients and families from different backgrounds. I have supported people through a huge range of conditions, from Parkinson's and stroke to anxiety, depression and end of life care, and I bring the same steady, warm approach whatever the situation. I am comfortable with hands on tasks like bathing, moving and handling, catheter and colostomy care, PEG feeding and medication reminders, but I also value the quieter parts of the role, sitting with someone, cooking a meal they enjoy, or simply having a proper conversation. When I am not working, I paint, walk, bake and take on the odd jigsaw puzzle, and I like bringing that same creativity and calm energy into my clients' homes. If you are looking for a carer who will treat your family with genuine warmth and stick around for the long haul, I would love to hear from you.

My week in Colchester is a mix of hourly visits, overnight stays and live-in placements, and if I had to choose the part I enjoy most, it would be the time spent simply being good company: sharing a meal, chatting over a cup of tea, or joining someone on a walk. That sense of connection matters as much to me as the practical side of the job. I have spent five years supporting people with a wide range of needs, from dementia and Parkinson's to stroke recovery, poor mobility and end of life care, and I speak English, Spanish, Portuguese and Brazilian, which has helped me build easy rapport with clients from different backgrounds. Day to day, I help with the things that keep life comfortable and dignified: washing, dressing, medication reminders, cooking proper meals, light cleaning and laundry, as well as more hands on support like moving and handling, catheter care and hoist use where needed. I try to bring a steady, unhurried manner to all of it, so people feel at ease rather than rushed. Outside of work I like walking, gardening, cooking, music and a good puzzle, and I often bring that same warmth into my visits, whether that is cooking together or just having a proper conversation. If you are looking for a carer who will treat your family member as company as much as a client, I would be glad to hear from you.