Do you have what it takes to become a Caregiver?
Many people require the services of qualified caregivers from time to time. It is not just the elderly that require care. Patients recovering from surgery or illness often require assistance in rehabilitation and menial household tasks until such time as they are fully capable themselves. While medical professionals are preferred, there are many other roles and responsibilities that people can fulfill as caregivers that do not require medical training. Often it is a person’s demeanor and nature that makes the biggest difference to patient’s lives. When considering if you have what it takes to become a caregiver there are several things that are important.
Remain Caring even in a Stressful Environment
While care giving can be highly rewarding, it can also be demanding and stressful. Often you will be required to work long hours and put up with frustrated and temperamental patients. It requires someone with an enormously compassionate heart and much patience to be able to stick it out. Sometimes, because they are under a lot of stress themselves the patient’s family members could be suspicious of you being in their home environment and may question your care methods. You need to have confidence in your abilities and be able to remain professional even in the face of criticism.
Be Respectful of the Patient’s Home Environment
Most often caregivers will work in a patient’s home environment. It is important be respectful of the patient’s personal domain. Often the way that furniture, ornaments and other objects are arranged has sentimental value. While it may be necessary to move some items around to make it easier to care for the patient always check with them of family members first.
Take a Personal Interest in your Patients
Often your responsibilities will start before the patient leaves the hospital. This is so that you can find out about and understand their needs from their doctor. It is also sometimes helpful to find out a little bit about them, their history and lifestyle from family members. Sometimes the family members will want to be involved in the care and you need to be conscious of this. The patient’s family may also have expectations as to how their loved one is to be taken care of. Caregiving requires that you know how to manage interpersonal interaction, have the ability to discern needs in different situations and make sound judgments that are in the patient’s best interests.
Know your Limitations and Responsibilities
Caregiving often requires lifting and carrying heavy objects such as beds, chairs and other items. Often you will need to help patients stand, sit, or lie down and this can require some physical strength. There are special techniques for doing this and you will need to be properly trained. Even so, it is good to know your limitations. If your patient is particularly large you may injure yourself in trying to lift them. Also know the limitations of your medical expertise. Follow doctor’s instructions carefully and be diligent about your responsibilities.
Do you have a Genuine Love for People?
Because caregiving can be a very stressful job, it requires a personal motivation in order to keep doing it. Often this motivation stems from a love for people and a will to want to make a difference in their lives. It is a job that be incredibly rewarding if this is your motivation for doing it because you will make an incredible difference in people’s lives.
Different Caregiving Responsibilities
If you have a medical background then most likely the type of caregiving you would be most suitable for would be nursing and rehabilitative care. Often people require special home care when they are diagnosed with diseases such as cancer or Alzheimers disease. Many patients so not want to stay in hospital or a special care facility and prefer to be in their own home environment. If you have limited or no medical background, there are several other ways in which you can provide caregiving. Sometimes patient’s require assistance with just basic housekeeping which involves cleaning, vacuuming, dusting, laundry and ironing. Often these are tasks are too tiring for someone who has disabilities or is elderly. Your assistance as a caregiver helps them to retain a level of independence. You could also run errands or drive them to appointments or to go shopping. You could also help take care of their pets and walk their dogs. Perhaps you will be required to prepare meals for them. For more information please Visit : www.aaatlc.com
Processing your request, Please wait....
