When everyday chores start to become more challenging for your senior loved one, it might be time to consider enlisting the help of a caregiver. A senior caregiver cares for the health and well-being of someone who needs assistance with their everyday tasks and activities.
Depending on the level of support your loved one requires, long-term caregiving can take its toll on the caregiver’s physical and emotional health. If you are at a point where you feel you are unable to maintain the quality of care your senior loved one needs and deserves, now is the time to contact Home Instead.
At Home Instead, a caregiver’s duties can vary each day, but basic tasks usually remain the same. Whether minimal or extensive assistance is needed, a Home Instead caregiver can help your loved one live their life to the fullest. Home Instead provides compassionate, well-trained caregivers with clients of various requirements.
Elderly caregivers seem to possess standard and essential traits that enable them to perform their caregiver duties successfully. With Home Instead’s caregivers in Lafayette, LA, your senior loved one will be in good hands and well cared for.
Traits to Look for in a Caregiver
- Compassion. Being empathetic and compassionate are qualities essential to helping senior loved ones while recovering from surgery or losing their memory to Alzheimer’s.
- Patience. Most in-home caregivers deal with challenges of one type or another, such as extreme mental and/or physical ailments that may require clean-ups and/or frustrating situations.
- Qualified. It is important to make sure the caregiver is qualified to do the work requested and that they are the kind of person you’d trust to spend time with your senior loved one. Caregivers should be competent in the areas they are hired to assist with.
- Dependability. Seniors who need in-home care usually require it on a regular basis, not periodically. So, having a dependable caregiver is vital to the patient’s care.
- Attentiveness. As a caregiver, it is important to be attentive to notice if any emotional or physical changes occur in the senior they are caring for. This allows for a good caregiver to adapt their care to meet the growing needs of the patient.
- Compatibility. The caregiver will be spending a lot of time with your senior loved one, so finding the right person who is compatible with them is crucial.
- Trustworthiness. Since caregivers have access to the patient’s home and their belongings, it is crucial to have one that is trustworthy and honest. These are indispensable qualities a caregiver must possess, especially a live-in one.
In-home caregivers usually provide care to elderly adults in a home environment. However, about eleven percent receiving in-home care live in a nursing home or an assisted living facility. Most caregivers are women, but men are also known to serve as caregivers. If you exhibit the traits of a caregiver, we want you to join our team.
Caregiver tasks may include housework, grocery shopping, transportation, help with eating, bathing, grooming, dressing, and much more. In addition, it is more than just spending time with patients. Caregivers provide companionship as well as practical services, therefore, they need to be good listeners. This will help caregivers successfully deliver the best care possible to their patients.
Senior Caregiver Responsibilities
Medical needs
A caregiver evaluates and keeps track of medical appointments, manages medications, and assesses pain levels regularly. This helps them relay the information accurately to the doctor and other health professionals.
Daily activities
When basic needs such as dressing, bathing, administering medication, etc., becomes difficult, the caregiver can assist.
Housekeeping
Caregivers will help with daily house cleaning, preparing meals, or doing laundry.
Care plan
A caregiver can help formulate a care plan that addresses a patient’s needs and goals. This will be discussed with the doctors and care managers. As circumstances change, the care plan will need to be adjusted.
Prevent falls
Senior adults may have difficulty moving or transferring from their bed in the morning to a chair in the afternoon. A caregiver will take steps to prevent falls, so the patient feels safe and comfortable in their home.
Transportation
If your senior loved one can no longer drive, a caregiver can arrange medical appointments and transportation to the doctor or clinic.
Emergencies
Caregivers are well-trained to handle a crisis or medical emergency.
Our caregivers in Lafayette, LA, go beyond accommodating the patient’s emotional and physical needs. It is much more than that. Making a difference in someone’s life can be a very gratifying and rewarding act.
Choosing Home Instead for Your Caregiving Career
If you are considering becoming a caregiver, Home Instead is the company for you. Choosing Home Instead for your caregiving career will be one of the best decisions you could make. Are you ready to help make day-to-day life easier on a senior adult? If your answer is YES, explore our job opportunities and contact us today to become a valued member of our team. Also, read our latest blog posts to learn more about caring for your elderly loved ones and how in-home care may benefit them.
Home Instead, the hands that care!
