Hiring a caregiver can be an overwhelming task. Searching through each caregiver application alone can feel like climbing a mountain. There are so many things to pay attention to, from schedules to transportation and more. When you move on to the interview stage, it’s important to pay attention to how potential caregivers carry themselves. Will you get along? Do they seem friendly and warm? Hopefully, the answer is yes to both of those!
Here are a few more qualities to look for in a potential caregiver.
Dependability
When you need an in-home caregiver, you need to be able to depend on them. If it’s important that someone isn’t alone due to health concerns, having an attendant be a no-show can disrupt schedules, cause missed appointments and leave the senior in a vulnerable place. A dependable caregiver will show up, set their personal life aside and focus on their job.
Attentive
An attentive caregiver is a must. Since they’ll be spending a large amount of time with the senior, it’s important that a caregiver pays attention to shifting needs. They’ll also be more likely to notice changes in medical conditions and seek the right kind of help. Just like caregivers for children, senior caregivers need to be on top of what’s going on as well as what to watch out for.
Trustworthiness
It’s important for seniors and their loved ones to know they can trust senior caregivers. After all, these people start out as strangers who spend time in a senior’s home. They will have access to parts of the home, valuable items and an elderly person. People need to feel as though they can trust an attendant to have that kind of access. This is especially true when it comes to medical and financial information.
Patience
Being patient isn’t always as understood as it needs to be. A patient caregiver will recognize that health issues or a change in plans may alter what their day looks like. Patience also means having patience with the senior they’re helping. Due to illness or other situations, seniors may need more time speaking or help with everyday activities.
Compassionate and Empathetic
Being compassionate and empathetic are two major portions of a caregiver’s job. They need to be able to put themselves in another person’s shoes and see what a senior is going through. Holding space for someone else’s feelings and concerns is a large part of being compassionate, too.
Good Communicator
Communication is the base for all of our relationships. It’s important for a caregiver to be able to find the best way to communicate with those they’re caring for as well as their loved ones. A large part of communicating well is handling feedback and making changes based on that feedback. If an attendant isn’t good at communicating, it can lead to mixed signals, missed shifts and a combative nature.
Supportive
One of the biggest reasons an in-home caregiver is there is to provide support. They need to be able to encourage people to accomplish daily tasks, stay active and much more. Being a caregiver doesn’t just mean providing help. It means giving an emotional boost. Senior caregivers often wind up being some of the biggest cheerleaders and advocates for the elderly. A caregiver should be excited to go to work and enjoy the company of the people they care for.
Strength
Strength can mean a lot of things. A caregiver should be physically strong enough to do any manual work or lift their senior as needed. They should also be emotionally strong. If a senior is struggling with their health, it might be hard to maintain composure–especially if there is a strong bond there. The empathy and compassion a caregiver needs can make it hard to maintain professionalism in the face of rough times.
Sense of Humor
The reality of life is that things can get awkward, especially around health issues. Having a sense of humor about things gives senior caregivers a chance to help seniors cope in a way that doesn’t damage their morale. From assisting in the bathroom to cooking and more, turning those awkward moments into bonding moments will help seniors feel more at ease. It’s okay to laugh!
Taking the time to scan applications and meet with potential caregivers may be cumbersome, but it’s important. Without taking the time to know potential hires, you’ll never be able to correctly gauge their personalities or discover their great traits.]]>