ATTRIBUTES OF CAREGIVERS
ATTRIBUTES OF CAREGIVERS
Essential characteristics of
home health caregivers
Published by on 9th July, 2021
Many home health clients are going through stressful
and agonizing circumstances, with some even suffering from an early onset of Alzheimer’s
and other debilitating complications. Empathy is an excellent
quality for anyone to possess, far less a caregiver.
As the client will have trouble recalling or even
being able to converse, caregivers now find themselves having to discover
innovative and nontraditional methods of communicating. This is vital as you
will be the person to advise doctors or family members of any changes in their
medical condition, especially if it seems to be deteriorating.
There are instances whereby the client cannot
articulate how they may be feeling, or they might even try to hide the fact
that their condition is worsening. During your home visits, talk, listen and have
other interactions with the client. Keep a sharp eye out for any changes in
your patient’s condition or behavior, and record it in your report.
It is imperative you are aware of your client’s
surroundings and environment to avoid any potential hazards. Incidents like
tripping can be dangerous for both the client and the caregiver.
Many caregivers help out with light housekeeping during their
visits, such as doing laundry or mopping, especially if the client is elderly.
Heavy-duty tasks such as moving furniture, cleaning
carpets or mowing the grass are outside the scope of work. Though you will need
to be able to keep your patient’s house clean. This standard also applies to
personal hygiene because you probably will have to help your client bathe and
get dressed.
As such, tasks need to be prioritized. Work
efficiently and avoid getting tied down in overly time-consuming duties when
time is short. You should know where everything
is in your nursing bag and about important medications in your client’s
house. This can be crucial especially in
the unfortunate event of an emergency, when seconds count.
Home health
patients can feel isolated and lonely. Interacting with the client can build
trust and help establish a rapport with them especially if they are dealing
with challenges of mental or physical ailments, limited communication abilities
and more. Clients may be irrational or critical (or both), require cleanups
after accidents, and otherwise lead to some frustrating situations. Caregivers
need to remain calm in these scenarios for successful patient care.
A patient’s condition can change from day to day, so
can your work as a caregiver. Caregivers need to have a flexible mindset so
they can handle these challenges. Caregivers often work by themselves in the
patient’s home with instructions from doctors and nurses to follow in terms of
wound care, medications, etc.; but non-medical care can be different Therefore,
caregivers need to be comfortable being proactive and make informed decisions about
their clients.
Wearing comfortable shoes is very important as caregivers
are often on their feet for long periods of time, sometimes almost their entire
shift, performing a variety of physical tasks, from carrying groceries to
vacuuming to lifting patients. Having a healthy level of physical strength and
stamina is significant in maintaining your own health and that of your clients.
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Tags:CAREGIVERS
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