If you want to determine whether the caregiver that you choose for your elderly loved one is great, then there are a number of key indicators to focus on. While many home care providers will possess some of these characteristics, and they may very well be good caregivers, it’s the great ones that most people tend to want for their loved one.
So what makes a great caregiver?
- They are highly organized. Organization may not seem like an important characteristic on the surface of an in home care provider, but when it comes to keeping track of medical records, appointments, prescriptions and information about the various medications, and other factors, organization is a vital component to being a great caregiver.
- Being clean. Working with anyone means that there are going to be germs passed around. Being neat and clean is important to ensuring the health of both the care provider as well as the patient in his or her charge. Washing hands, keeping clothes clean, and wiping down various areas of the house that get high use are signs of quality care.
- Having strong knowledge. Understanding the patient is one of the most important signs of high quality care. It’s not enough to simply read a charge or a few medical records. Getting to know them on a more personal level, understanding their desires, needs, and other factors tends to lead to more effective and positive care.
- Taking care of themselves. Its one thing to take care of another person, but it’s also important to take care of your own health. Caregivers who keep themselves healthy, work out, and get plenty of rest are going to be in a better position to continue to offer the highest level of care to the patient or patients in their charge.
- Staying positive. Sometimes for home care providers, staying positive can be downright challenging. With so many things that can go wrong, with so many health issues to worry about and the work that in home care entails, it can be frustrating. Remaining positive, even though the toughest challenges can be a characteristic that leads to the best care.
Each of these characteristics and traits comes with practice, patience, and perseverance. It doesn’t matter how long a caregiver has been working in the field, or how much time they spend with a particular patient, when they possess these 5 characteristics, it’s a sign of a great caregiver.
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