Being an at-home caretaker is stressful work. And yet, it is also very common. Of all care patients, 51% live in their homes. With that said, roughly 29% live with their caretaker, and 4% in nursing and assisted living homes. If you’re an in-home caretaker, you are responsible for your client’s needs. Here are some tips to help you be a successful caretaker this year.
Be Respectful
Your client isn’t just your job, they’re also a person with feelings. You are in their home, taking care of them. While you shouldn’t tolerate abuse, you need to show them respect. Make sure that you listen to their concerns and find ways to solve problems. Take measures to protect their dignity when you’re there. Sometimes, caretakers lose sight of the fact that they are helping other people who have their own wants and needs. If you keep this in mind all the time, you’ll be a much better caretaker for the people who need you.
Create Safety in the Home
Your client needs to feel and be safe in their home. If they have a caretaker coming in, this likely means that they have mobility problems that would make escaping a dangerous situation more difficult. Make sure that they have proper security in their home. The FBI says that 65% of home robberies happen between six am and six pm when most people are at work or school. Your client will probably be at home during that time, so you want them to be secure. Talk to them and their families about which security options are best for them.
Accept Offers of Help
If you’re helping a loved one to stay in their home, it can be a lot of responsibility. This is especially true if caretaking isn’t your official career. You are not only taking on this work, but you’re doing it alongside your other responsibilities. Don’t be too shy to accept any help that is offered to you. This could be as other family members taking on part of the load or helping you with your outside responsibilities. Or it could be from professionals. It is very important that you are working to the best of your abilities, so sometimes you’ll need to take the help that’s offered.
Stay In Touch with the Medical Team
Whether you’re doing this as a job or to help a loved one, you need to be aware of their medical condition. Make sure that you’re in touch with their medical team so that you have all the information you need. Someone who needs in-home care is likely being treated by multiple doctors who all have to exchange information. Since these doctors have other patients, they won’t be able to do everything that your loved one or client needs.
For instance, the CDC’s 2018 Fertility Clinic Success Rates Report states that there were 306,197 artificial reproductive technology cycles done at 456 reporting clinics in the USA. With that many clients, doctors won’t have the full picture of all of their patients. So it is up to the care team, of which you’re a member, to make sure they have all the information they need.
Take Care of Yourself
At-home caretaking can be stressful work, especially if you’re doing it alongside other responsibilities. Make sure that you’re taking care of yourself mentally and physically. Get enough rest, live a healthy lifestyle, and take breaks from your work. This will help you avoid burnout or medical issues of your own.
As an at-home caretaker, you have a lot of responsibilities. Make sure that you’re doing your best work by taking care of yourself and your client. These tips will help you be the best possible caretaker you can be this year.
