Are you considering your options for caring for a loved one? Have you reached the point where you need some help?
It can be a difficult transaction when you’re new to the process. It can take time for your loved one to adjust to needing help. It can also be an adjustment for you, relying on the skills of others to help you along.
Yet for all the right reasons, you’re considering caregiving at home.
Home is where the heart is. It’s what makes each of us happy. And that’s the best reason to consider in-home caregiving.
When you look for a team to bring into your home, there are a few things you should consider.
Professionalism
It almost sounds too simplistic – of course, you expect an in-home caregiving service to be professional. Unfortunately, you don’t always find stellar companies, and you learn to “forgive” the little things that bring their services down.
Professionalism can mean a lot of things. It should ensure all of your loved one’s needs are met. We think it should also mean:
- Showing up on time, ready to work
- Providing undivided attention, never disappearing or taking extended breaks
- No talking, texting, or playing online
- Having everything needed for the job at the caregiver’s disposal
When a caregiver is present, it means they are there to do the best job possible.
Empathy
One of the biggest complaints in caregiving today is the lack of empathy between caregivers and the ones they are providing care for.
Caregiving at home isn’t an easy job. Some think it’s a great way to make money without having to do a lot of work. And that’s simply not true.
Ignoring, snapping, sighing, rolling their eyes, or muttering under their breath is not a way to provide service. Caregiving at home means being empathetic throughout the entire process.
It means treating with respect through every hour of the day. To create the best life possible, no matter what that means.
Specialized help
The reason more people are turning to caregiving at home is they realize they can’t get personalized help in assisted living or skilled nursing arrangements. When you’re just one of many patients, you have to wait for your turn. Everything is done in order, with no personalization on any level.
With caregiving at home, everything is about the patient. For many patients, it means they stay active and alert longer because their individual needs are met.
Is caregiving at home right for you?