To Be a Caregiver You Need More Than Just a Desire to Help

People are under the impression that anyone can become a caregiver. In fact, some often believe it is the easiest job in the world. Some even suggest anyone who is married can take on the role of a caregiver. Not so. In addition, some caregivers, who go to school to become licensed, are sometimes under the impression that the license will “make them” uniquely qualified to be a caregiver. Not so. Just because you have a license does not mean you are able and qualified to are for all patients.

Occasionally caregivers learn to become caregivers by experience; however, experience does not always qualify a caregiver. Work experience dependability, timeliness and education are essential; however, there are other important qualities and elements that place some caregivers at a higher level, such as the following:

Qualities of a Caregiver 

1. Empathy

A caregiver needs to have empathy. You cannot gain empathy just by getting a license and pretending that you care. Placing oneself in the position of patient, and understanding their perspective, gives a unique understanding. Don’t confuse sympathy with empathy. A qualified caregiver needs to be in tune with what the patient is going through.

2. Ability to Communicate

Communicating with a patient does not always mean to be able to chat and say hello and goodbye. Are you able to listen and provide feedback without judgment? When a patient calls you derogatory words, will you be able to take it and control yourself? A good communicator is one who listens to a patient regardless of “how” a patient is speaking. Patients will not always communicate with words. Sometimes they will only be able to communicate via their behavior, body language, sounds, whines, whimpers and moans. You have to have the courage to find out what they are saying. If you do not have the courage to communicate you might as well do something else. 

3. Desire to Learn 

Learning does not stop the day you have your first patient. In fact, learning should always be part of the caregiver’s compass. The day you are no longer interested in learning about your profession because you think you know -it all- is the day your curiosity, inquiry and knowledge cease to exist.

4. Knowing the Patient

Caregivers should be aware of their patient’s needs and care plan goals. However, knowing about the patient takes more than just reading about the patient’s diagnosis and medical history. There are psycho-social needs and goals that cannot be disregarded. As a caregiver, are you willing to interact with a patient? Do you understand the impact of social isolation?

5. Caregiver Flexibility: Illness is Not Always a Constant

A qualified caregiver should be able to understand that a patient’s illness is not always a constant. The caregiver should be able to change according to the patient’s status. In fact, he or she should be able to prepare and plan ahead, but never be surprised. 

We hope this list of qualities will help you in identifying a qualified caregiver. Also, if you feel you may want to become a caregiver, do not hesitate to contact Senior Helpers.

Crimes against the elderly

Crimes can be committed against anyone, no matter how old they are. Unfortunately, this does not leave out the elderly. Just because they are not going out of the house as much, does not mean they will not be preyed on by criminals. Because of the fact that senior citizens are very easy to convince and generally want to help, criminals can have a field day with them. The list of crimes that affect the elderly the most is generally short, making it easier for an outsider to recognize. Remember that just because a person is 65 years old or older, does not mean they are not aware of what is going on around them. However, they should be made aware of the latest scams and fraud attempts on older folks, especially if they do not watch the news or navigate the internet very well.

Crimes like identity theft, fraud, property crimes and abuse are some of the most common. Identity theft can happen to anyone, but again, because the elderly generally want to help, they are easier targets for criminals. Make sure that you are telling an elderly loved one how to keep their personal information safe to not end up in the hands of the wrong person. Identity theft can happen as easy as a phone call that requires them to give information like full name, address, bank accounts or even social security numbers to claim a prize they “might have won”. These types of crimes are easy for criminals to pull off because they are sitting behind the telephone and are sometimes outside the reach of the law. This does not mean it will happen to your loved one, but they should be aware to ask many questions on the phone before giving any valuable personal information.

Fraud can happen in many different ways as well. Strangers can easily tell a story to an elderly person to make them believe they have won a prize, or that they can invest some of their money to get more. Because the elderly typically live on a fixed income, the idea that they can increase that seems very enticing. The fraudsters will also pose as investment brokers and once they have all of your personal information, they disappear with it. Even worse, they could be using it to drain your accounts and be running all over town with your money. Other types of fraud might come from fake charity donations, auto repairs, loans on your home, or even life insurance policies that you might not actually need.

Other types of fraud that seem to be committed against the elderly are health remedies and since most of them have some sort of ailment, it seems to be a good idea. The best way to think about anything that might be fraudulent is that if it seems too good to be true, it most likely is. Another reason that criminals prey on the elderly is the fact that they might feel alone, lost or might even be grieving a spouse, which makes them more vulnerable. Property crimes are often committed on the elderly. Home invasion usually leads to damaged or stolen property. The loss of something valuable like jewelry can make you feel bad, but if your home was entered without your knowledge, that can sometimes be more troubling to the elderly and their family.

Finally, elder abuse is another form of crime that the elderly face all the time. The crime is quite general in meaning, but for the most part it comes down to mistreatment. According to one study, many of the elder abuse crimes that are committed do not get reported like they should. Elder abuse can happen at home by a spouse or other family member, but can also happen in a nursing or retirement home by the staff that is supposed to take care of your loved one. There are more than 2.5 million cases of abuse are reported each year.

Preparing the Home

There comes a time when  your parent might have to move in. Health issues, financial issues, and other problems might have necessitated the move, but you need to make sure that your home is prepared to take on another person, especially if they need assistance. There are some preparations that you can do before the move has been made so as to be ready for home health care.

Ease of maneuvering and safety are important even when you're in the home by yourself, much more so when there's someone else to care for. Bathrooms are often the first place one should look to change when having a parent move in. Installing grab bars in the shower and near the toilet are great ideas for safety since water tends to make floors slippery. Put rugs and other coverings over the tile so as to prevent as much slippage as possible.

Any door to your home can also pose a problem if you have small steps on the threshold. While it may not seem like much, the act of entering or leaving your home can be stressful for an elder if they need help with walking. You can get portable ramps that can be placed at any doorway that will work to ease the process. This simple fix will significantly help if your parent has arthritis or has had any surgery to their hip or knees.

These simple fixes can go a really long way in making your home safer for home care of an elder. Whether you're doing it yourself, or you've hired a professional caregiver, safety in your home is the most important thing that you can improve.

If you're in the Westford, Massachusetts area and are looking for home health care tips, we have a Senior Helpers location that can help you make your home safe for your parent.