{"id":934,"date":"2014-04-15T08:00:40","date_gmt":"2014-04-15T12:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/?p=934"},"modified":"2022-06-09T11:03:27","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T15:03:27","slug":"caregiver-6-qualities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/articles\/caregiver-6-qualities\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Caregiver Qualities"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"elderly

Many qualities are necessary when looking for a caregiver for your loved ones to keep them safe<\/p><\/div>\n

Choosing an in-home caregiver for an elderly relative is an extremely important decision.\u00a0 In this situation, you are looking for so much more than a licensed professional; you want someone who will treat your loved one with the same respect and kindness as you would. It’s also important to find a professional caregiver with a personality that will mesh well with your elderly loved ones. There are certain traits that every caregiver should have such as a good disposition, non-argumentative temperament, ability to deal with stress and overall compassionate nature. The following is a listing of additional qualities to look for as you interview potential caregivers.<\/p>\n

1)\u00a0Personality<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Personality is the single most important quality to look for in a family caregiver, as all of the professional training in the world will not change an individual\u2019s attitude.\u00a0 Ask questions that will help you get a sense of a person\u2019s compassion, empathy, patience, and selflessness. Some home care patients prefer a caregiver who is chatty especially if they are particularly lonely or love to talk. Or the opposite may be true, if they prefer a quieter person to spend their time with. Remember, if they require 24-hour companion care, you want to be sure they really get along with each other!\u00a0 Also, be wary if a candidate immediately approaches you with a list of items they will not do.\u00a0 With the exception of things that require medical expertise, a caregiver should be open to most assignments.<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0Experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Another critical quality to look for in a caregiver is experience.\u00a0 This does not necessarily mean you should hire someone with the most experience overall, but rather the type of caregiver\u00a0 who has experience handling needs similar to those of your loved one.\u00a0If your loved one is diabetic, they may need someone who is trained in fall prevention techniques and will be able to lift a certain number of pounds. \u00a0Or if they have Dementia, you will need a home care worker with that skill set. The home care company you choose should be able to match your aging loved one\u2019s needs to a qualified caregiver.<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0Training<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Both formal and informal training can result in an excellent caregiver.\u00a0 However, if your loved one needs personal care assistance, such as with dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom or even running errands, you should seek someone who is a Certified Home Health Aid. It’s a good idea for your home care provider to be trained in CPR as well. You can check the minimum caregiving requirements by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n

4)\u00a0Honesty and Reliability<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Never hire a caregiver without checking their references.\u00a0 From previous employers, you can get a good sense of the caregiver\u2019s honesty and reliability.\u00a0 You want to verify that the caregiver will neither steal from your loved one\u2019s home nor inaccurately portray the number of hours they have worked.\u00a0 You also want to check to be sure the caregiver is known for showing up on time, every time, unless prior arrangements have been made.\u00a0Always use a care provider who holds their caregivers accountable by clocking in and clocking out via the patient\u2019s home phone. It\u2019s also important to be sure the potential caregiver does not accept gifts from their patients especially those with any form of Dementia.<\/p>\n

5)\u00a0Accountability<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ask questions that will draw out the potential caregiver\u2019s ability to accept personal responsibility for their actions.\u00a0 If you get a sense that they are quick to place the blame elsewhere when things go wrong and do not hold themselves accountable, trust your gut instinct and look elsewhere.<\/p>\n

6)\u00a0Finances<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Unless you are hiring through a home healthcare agency, you should be prepared to discuss financial payment arrangements with your caregiver.\u00a0 Understand that it is only natural for those proving home care to ask for the pay rate they believe they are worth, and it does not necessarily mean they are in the field just for the money and not for the love of their work.<\/p>\n

So, if your loved one has declined a senior living facility and would like to receive in-home health care, this list is a great place to start in finding your perfect match. Consider a medical alert device in conjunction with your caregiver for times when they can not be there. Our LifeStation reviews<\/a> will give you the latest product information. We hope we\u2019ve been able to help you know where to start with your care plan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Choosing an in-home caregiver for an elderly relative is an extremely important decision.\u00a0 In this situation, you are looking for so much more than a licensed professional; you want someone who will treat your loved one with the same respect and kindness as you would. It’s also important to find a professional caregiver with a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":929,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[61,126,11,27,16,267],"acf":[],"modified_by":"ArticlesTips","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/934"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=934"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/934\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6565,"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/934\/revisions\/6565"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.medicalalertadvice.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}