Have you or your loved one decided to look into hiring an in-home senior caregiver through a home health agency? And if so, do you still have some doubts about what qualities or characteristics to look for in potential caregivers?
Of course, you are trying to make the right choice for the safety and well-being of you or your loved one, so this is important.
Making the right choice is a very common concern in those that are just starting out with home health care. There are certain characteristics that can be observed in caregivers that can be very indicative of the quality of care they will provide.
It is important to be aware of these characteristics when interviewing potential home health agencies and meeting with caregivers. Some of these qualities are:
Compassion
When a caregiver is compassionate, they feel empathy for others. This can be observed when caregivers such as companions and home health aides are able to put themselves in the shoes of those in their care and evaluate how they feel.
This can be very indicative of how they will be with those that they are caring for because they will treat the elderly how they would want to be treated if they were aging themselves.
Personable
A personable in-home caregiver is one who treats those in their care more like people and less like a job. Companions and home health aides should be able to tune into the specific needs of their patients and provide personalized care according to their specific needs and the patterns that are observed.
The amazing thing about hiring in-home care assistance through a home care agency is that caregivers can develop a relationship with those they are caring for and be there to provide an emotional and mental uplift.
A personable elderly companion caregiver is much more likely to take the time to cultivate this relationship, which results in better quality and more personalized care.
Flexible
Flexibility is a very crucial characteristic to look for with your in-home care team and it can have a huge impact on the quality of services provided. While this is a job that is based on certain times for shifts and certain duties to complete during each shift, many times things do not go as planned.
Elderly companions and home health aides must be able to adapt to situations that come up when those in their care are experiencing more discomfort, anxiety, sickness, sudden pain, etc. Valuable in-home senior caretakers will be able to put the needs of their clients in front of their own in these unpredictable situations to ensure their safety and well-being.
Patience
Is an extremely valuable characteristic for any human being to possess, but especially for those providing in-home senior care. Again, sometimes things do not go as planned, which is something that caretakers must be ready for.
Patience is crucial for any unexpected situations that might come up. This will ensure that the caretaker handles the situation the right way, taking their time and always keeping the well-being of those in their care as the top priority.
Attentiveness
An attentive caregiver is one who is on top of the physical and emotional well-being of those in their care.
This is important because any changes that occur in aging people should be noted to make sure that everything is in check with their health. Changes in behavior or any abnormal symptoms noted early on can communicated and potentially help prevent illnesses.
Communication
Being a good communicator goes hand in hand with being attentive. Any abnormal behavior or symptoms noted by a companion or home health aide, apart from being noted in a patient file, should also be communicated with the family members and physicians when possible.
Families might be busy with their own lives and might not be able to dedicate the time that they would like to check in on their aging loved ones. A caregiver keeping open communication with the family is a way for them to remain safe and for the family to feel confident in the safety and well-being of their loved ones.
While there are many other qualities that might be important to look out for when evaluating the right caregiver for you or your loved one, these will go a long way towards the right choice being made.
Having a conversation during the interview, or during the first few shifts, with the caregiver should give you an idea of if they possess some of these traits. Just keep your ears open and ask them plenty of questions about other experiences and situations they have dealt with in the past. How they answer will say plenty.
If you are interested in possibly hiring a home health professional in the Palm Beach County area, or are simply searching for more information on home health care, here at Unified Pledge Home Health, we offer a FREE consultation to review your situation and help you decide what type of care is best suited to achieve your goals! Most major health and long-term care insurance plans are accepted!
Hiring professionals from Unified Pledge comes with the following advantages:
Level II FBI background checks of all staff
Driving history checks
Companions, health aides, LPNs are our direct employees and not independent contractors
Constant communication to patients, family, and care team
Registered Nurse supervision is ongoing with every care plan
Contact us today for a free consultation by Supervisory Nurse at 561-910-8770.
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