What is Caregiver?
A caregiver is the person that gives assistance to individuals with their activities of daily living. It is usually a one on one, personalized type of caring that may be short-term and long-term in the setting of the individual’s own home.
What are the Duties & Responsibilities of a Caregiver?
Assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs).
The basic activities of daily living are those skills needed to manage an individual’s physical needs including personal hygiene like getting around the house, preparing & eating a meal, grooming, dressing, toileting, brushing teeth and bathing.
Maintaining a clean & tidy home environment.
A caregiver thinks about maintain a clean environment around the house to prevent infection and accidents. It is a relevant part of a home care job to maintain the individual’s home a tidy living space. So the caregiver may help with household chores like cleaning the fridge, making the beds or sweeping the floor.
Attend to a care plan and document care given.
A manager will create care plan for the individual that you are caring for. This care plan will define the specific needs of the individual and how you, as his caregiver, should document what you do every day.
Companionship
Sometimes, the individual we care for just needs companionship. That is having someone to spend time with them. As a companion, the caregiver may accompany the individual to go places- attend appointments and outings together, or simply just to listen to their stories. Through this, you will get to know the individual better by sharing your life with them and by learning together.
Transportation
Since we go places with the individuals we care for, it may be needed that we drive for them. This is so we can take them to appointments, grocery shopping, and sometimes even to attend their social events with them.
What are the Different Types of Caregivers?
Based from the different roles of a caregiver, you may be wondering how we can differentiate the different types of caregivers and their functions. These roles transition if you want to pursue additional learning and certification.
Caregiver/ Companion
A caregiver, who is known as a companion, gives basic care and companionship to people. Specifically to those with disabilities, older persons or anyone else that needs assistance in their own homes. The caregiver helps the individual with activities of daily living that they may have difficulty to perform on their own. Companions spend time with the individual but do not perform health care or treatments and so this role does not require the caregiver to be certified.
Certified NursingAssistant (CNA)
A CNA, or a Certified Nursing Assistant, can provide health care and treatment under the direction of a registered nurse. A CNA needs formal training with a state-approved educational program. After which, they must pass a state certification examination to be certified. A CNA can work in the homes of individuals or in the community setting.
Certified Home HealthAide (CHHA)
A CHHA, or Certified Home Health Aide, can also provide health care and treatments under the direction of a registered nurse. However, they must undergo extensive training in giving care to older persons in a home care setting. To become a CHHA you need to complete a 4-12 weeks certification program.
State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA)
A STNA, or State Tested Nursing Assistant, can work in a home care setting for an individual that needs medical care that a companion could not provide. This license is specific to Ohio and is comparable to CNA in other states.
Patient CAre Assistants / Aides (PCA)
A PCA, or Patient Care Assistant/ Aides can work in a home setting when an individual needs medical care that a companion cannot provide. A PCA is similar to a CNA as they are also required to have state certification.
What Skills Must You Have to Function as a Caregiver?
Be Professional
Be Professional
You must have the ability to remain engaged in the activity that is required of you- that is to give care. The individual you care for needs respect and understanding. So you are expected to conduct your business with them in good manners and to take responsibility for delivering good quality of care.
Be a Keen Observant
Be a Keen Observant
You must always be watchful of any changes in the condition of the person that you are caring for. Pay strict attention to your surroundings and use all your senses when you observe- sight, smell, sound, taste and touch. Your manager would expect you to document and report properly what you have personally seen and heard in the environment or with your client.
Be Flexible
Be Flexible
You should be able to easily respond to any changes in client’s condition while performing your care. As the individual you care for can change each day, you must be ready to adjust to change so that you can adapt to the many different circumstances.
Maintain an Optimistic Attitude
Maintain an Optimistic Attitude
You must maintain being hopeful and confident about the future as this attitude is important to have a cheerful atmosphere to lift your client’s mood every day.
Be Patient
Be Patient
There may be times when you, as caregiver, may need to modify a care plan based on your client’s more urgent need. In times like this, remember not to be upset or angry. You must have the capacity to accept or tolerate any daily challenges, delays, troubles or suffering that come your way in the process of caregiving.
Have Empathy
Have Empathy
You must have the ability to sense other people’s emotions, specifically that of your client. Imagining what the individual you are caring for may be thinking or feeling will allow you to understand them better and identify what you need to do in order to give them better care.
Have Effective Communication Skills
Have Effective Communication Skills
You must have the ability to sense other people’s emotions, specifically that of your client. Imagining what the individual you are caring for may be thinking or feeling will allow you to understand them better and identify what you need to do in order to give them better care.
There is a saying when you care for an individual that “You cannot give what you do not have”. So it is just as important to take care of yourself in order to give the best care for others. Sometimes the physical and emotional strains of caregiving takes a toll on us creating what is called as Caregiver Stress.
What is Caregiver Stress?
Caregiver stress is a syndrome characterized by physical, emotional and mental fatigue. This is a result of being too focused on caring for an ill, injured or disabled client, in the process neglecting their own health- physically and emotionally. You may be in danger of caregiver stress if you feel any of the following:
Frequent Headaches
Losing Interest in Activities that Used to Give You Joy
Constantly Worried or Overwhelmed
Feelings of Sadness or Being Upset
Often Tired
Either Gaining or Losing Body Weight
You Sleep too Much or Not Enough
What to Do When You Have Caregiver Stress?
Accept that this is a syndrome that could be happening to you.
The first step is to admit that you are susceptible to having caregiver stress and that this is part of the hazards of the job in caregiving. Acceptance will help you to move forward towards getting help for yourself.
Obtain Help
Remember that it is alright to feel overwhelmed and when you do, it is just as alright to seek help from other people. It is also better to ask questions when you need to, than to stress out on things that you do not know but need to find out.
Be ready to help yourself.
Since accepting that caregiver stress can be a hazard of this job, learn to live with it and not dwell on this as a something that hinders your performance as a caregiver. Focus on what you can do best. Remember that your best may vary from day to day. What is best for you today may be different for tomorrow. So stay calm and keep reminding yourself that you are doing your best at this given day & time.
Set achievable goals.
Learn to list down your tasks and prioritize them. Use your care plan as guide at all times and establish a daily routine around it. Do tasks one at a time so you do not feel overwhelmed.
Re-connect with your support system.
Stay current. Learn about your caregiving community, read their resources. Make lifelong learning as a mantra so that you can continuously develop yourself-knowledge and training.
Maintain personal health goals.
Since caregiving is a highly demanding physical job, learn to stay healthy. Set personal goals to remain healthy always with good sleeping habits, being physically active, eating healthy meals and drinking plenty of water.
Now that you have learned about the pros and cons of caregiving, let me ask you this question: “Are you now ready to become a caregiver?” Before the next module teach you the basics of caregiving, let us review what is required of you to become a caregiver.
What is Required of You to Give Home Care?
Here are some requirements of hiring companies to caregivers.
- High school Diploma
- Criminal Background Check
- Past work experiences
Although a license may not be required, it is good to have a Caregiver Certification which is a document that you can print at the end of these courses and bring with you to interviews. This will show future employers that you took the time to learn about caregiving and the current trends in being a caregiver.
This will be your first step towards a career path in the health care industry.