There might come a time when you or someone you love needs to hire an in-home caregiver. Finding the right person to care for your daily needs as well as someone you trust and like can be a difficult task. There are some traits you should look for in an in-home caregiver that will ensure you will find the right person for your needs.
Experience
One thing you should always look for in a caregiver is how much experience they have doing their job. You should also find out what type of experience they have, as personal caregivers may have worked with people with specialized needs or ones who simply need a little help with daily maintenance. You can find out their experience by getting references and finding out if they have ever worked with people with whatever condition you or your loved one has such as dementia or diabetes.
Education
You need to take a look at what their education is and if they have undergone the training they need to care for you or your loved one properly. They should possess the required certificates and degrees for your state and any other credentials they have obtained over time through continuing education or other higher levels of schooling.
Are They Compassionate?
When you meet with the caregivers you want to interview for the position, make note of how compassionate they are toward you or your loved one. In order for you to trust them to care for you or someone you love, you will need to trust them and know for sure that they only have the best of intentions toward you or them. Ask them why they chose to be a caregiver and what interests they have. It's always a good idea to find someone who has similar interests since it's a great starting off point for conversations and bonding.
Are They Patient?
One of the most important traits a caregiver can have is patience. It can take a lot out of families to care for an ailing parent or for children to care for you. When you are looking for the right caregiver, see how patient they are. Do they mind if you ask a lot of questions? Do they let you or your loved one vent when they just aren't feeling like doing something that day? If a loved one has Alzheimer's, do they patiently answer questions or repeat statements they may have made before calmly? Patience is very important in a caregiver.
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