Elderly Caretaker Male Or Female
19 hours ago
Job Description:
Care requirements
vary person to person, but this list includes some of the most commonly
performed caregiver responsibilities and tasks in the care cycle.
Every caregivers duties and responsibilities are wide-ranging. One
moment a caregiver may be shopping for meals or cleaning the carpet and
the next they could be discussing medication dosage with the pharmacist
or arranging transportation for a specialist appointment. The caregiver,
whether a professional or a family member, is responsible for ensuring
continuity of care to the aging loved one, whatever that entails.
Since this role can be challenging, it is often best addressed
through several helping hands both paid and unpaid. Caregivers can be a
parent, partner, son, grandchild, neighbor or hired help. It is a challenging job that can change daily as the needs of the older adult change.
With many Americans wanting to grow older in their own homes (also referred to as aging in place), there is an increased opportunity to help them realize dignity and fulfillment while doing so. There is an anticipated shortage of 350,000 paid caregivers by 2040,
according to author and MIT economist Paul Osterman, so its crucial
that families have a plan in place to seek care for their loved ones.
Because no two seniors needs are the same, the caregiving requirements
for each person will differ. It can be assumed, however, that many of
the following tasks are performed at some point in the care cycle. That
said, whether youre a professional caregiver, an older adult or an
individual with some level of family caregiving in their future, its a good idea to familiarize yourself with this list.
The most common tasks for in-home senior caregiving include:
1. Home management and care planningIt can be tricky to know just how much of a commitment caregiving can
place on others. One useful way to ensure proper coverage for all tasks
is to create a care plan
to manage the home and the health responsibilities. This plan should be
created with the input of the medical team, family members and all
those providing services. From this, a basic time and money budget can
be devised to set proper expectations for care.
While its useful to have one physician overseeing all of a seniors
care (a geriatric specialist is recommended), family members and
caregivers will still need to take on the role of advocate to ensure
that appointments are being made, medicines are properly prescribed and
issues are caught and addressed far before they become a
life-threatening situation. The caregiver may also be required to look
over health insurance paperwork, billing statements and doctors orders
to make sure the senior loved one isnt being overcharged or treated in a
manner inconsistent with their care plan.
Since medications do fall under the umbrella of healthcare, it can be
tempting to have the same person handle everything. As people age,
however, their prescriptions can grow at an alarming pace. Some patients
may take more than a dozen different meds at a time, and the sheer
number of meds can bring about the need for one dedicated caregiver to
oversee the prescribing, changes, administration and pick-up of
orders. This caregiver should also regularly check on medication supply;
since some pain prescriptions are a target for theft, controlled
substances should be locked up and counted on a daily basis.
For many aging loved ones, help is only brought in once they start
having difficulty with the more intimate tasks of daily life, known as
the activities of daily living (ADLs).
Getting assistance with bathing, using the toilet, cleaning up after
being sick or washing and combing their hair can be a necessary step for
aging in place. Since its a delicate topic, be sure that the caregiver
is kind natured and patient. Youll also want anyone handling hygiene
care to have a good track record for working with the elderly.
Its not enough to ask a caregiver to make meals.
In fact, since many older adults lose their appetites and take in fewer
calories as they age, the food they eat must be of the best nutrition
possible. There is also the consideration of whether foods will
interact with their medications or cause specific ailments to become
worse, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Anyone handling grocery
shopping, meal planning and food preparation should work side by side
with a nutritionist to ensure all meals and snacks compliment the care
plan for your loved one.
Whether its learning to properly move someone from the wheelchair to toilet or noticing the signs of someone at risk for a fall,
the skills a caregiver needs to ensure safe movement both inside and
outside the home are vital. Proper transfer methods (those used to
transition a loved one from one position to another) are needed to avoid
injury to both the caregiver and the senior loved one. Caregiving can
be hard on the body of the person helping, and the right knowledge can
prevent painful mistakes later.
A good caregiver should have basic cleaning and repair skills. They
should have no problem helping out with or doing the dishes. Knowing how
a toilet plunger works and feeling comfortable changing a lightbulb are
just two examples of how a caregiver can also help a senior avoid
expensive calls to repair professionals when they are not needed.
As people age, they may feel the urge to withdraw and avoid going out. A supportive caregiver can provide some normalcy
by driving them to social events, as well as their needed medical
appointments. Whether its to pick up books at the library or get them
to a much-needed dental cleaning, having the means to get around as they
need, and want, will help with providing a healthy quality of life for
your loved one.
The industry has gotten accustomed to calling caregivers companions
and for a good reason. Relationships can be the difference-maker in
how hard an older person fights against illness or sticks to a strict
dietary requirement. They have a purpose to work through the
difficulties of aging if they have people around them to care about.
Caregivers should have tasks assigned that support this goal. From
playing games to just chatting over coffee, this more relaxed aspect of
caregiving is also one of the most important.
While the senior likely has someone handling their finances (usually a power of attorney),
some support tasks can be assigned to a caregiver. Tasks can be
anything from mailing a utility payment to preparing taxes. The person
responsible for these functions should be trusted and capable. Anyone
that has access to bank accounts or checkbooks and debit cards needs to
pass a background check, at the least.
All caregivers should be aware of the red flags for a senior loved
one. Whether it is an indication of health, mental state or simply mood,
anyone who sees a reason for concern should speak up immediately. Also,
a simple method of record-keeping can
keep everyone on the same page. All caregivers should be willing to
document what happens during a shift, as well as make recommendations
for additional care when needed. Proper monitoring of these records can
keep caregivers accountable and loved ones in the loop even while far
away.
This list isnt exhaustive, and youll know the needs of your loved
one best. If the caregivers you have in place arent qualified or
willing to take on new responsibilities, someone else can be hired to
fill in the gaps.
While keeping an older loved one happy and healthy is hard work,
there are some perks that shouldnt be ignored. For those who are lucky
enough to spend those precious years in a caregiving role, the bond that forms
can be the closest of a lifetime. As your older loved one becomes more
vulnerable and depends on you for more of their basic needs, the
opportunity to talk and get to know them increases, as well. Stories of
their youth, tales of their dreams and wishes for their future are more
abundant even amid the fears and concerns of aging.
The trusted position of caregiver also brings about unique insight
into life itself. Only after caring for a senior loved one can you truly
appreciate how important it is to set up support systems for your
golden years. These values can lead the way for conversations with your
spouse and children about how you wish to be cared for in your later
decades.
Finally, the privilege to care for an older friend or relative is one
that comes with lessons. Youll get a peek into the patience and wisdom
that comes with a life well lived. Youll have a perspective that keeps
minor issues in their place, as the more important life and death
decisions come front and center. While being a caregiver is trying and
not something everyone is cut out for, its rich rewards cannot truly be
defined.
Required Skills:
Coffee
Rewards
Support
Nutrition
Cards
Lessons
BASIC
Housekeeping
Accountability
Healthcare
Forms
Transportation
Supply
Insurance
Reason
Records
Pressure
Administration
Preparation
Planning
Maintenance
Management
