Become an Effective Geriatric Care Assistant
Looking for a life of dignity at home with a caregiver who can take care of you? Then Home Care Assistance may be right for you. From routine tasks like shopping and errands to medical appointments and doctor visits, caregivers render invaluable services in an atmosphere that gives them the freedom to choose their own pace.
There are many opportunities for in home care assistance. Senior In Home Healthcare workers can provide medical accompaniment, such as administering medicine or helping a patient prepare for certain tasks, while simultaneously making sure the senior adult doesn’t get frustrated or stressed out. Other in home care aides may act as personal assistants, conducting errands or preparing meals for the senior adult. Or a more specialized in home care worker may be hired to assist with more specialized tasks, such as conducting therapeutic massages, playing music, or helping the in home care provider work on paperwork.
Some in home care agencies have their own in home care employees and others rely on outside contractors, especially when it comes to the elderly patient care. Sometimes an in home care agency will hire its own rehabilitation center, where the caregiver works under the supervision of a licensed medical personnel. A rehabilitation facility also allows for greater scheduling flexibility, in that the caregiver can ask for help at a time that is convenient for him/her. Some rehabilitation facilities offer a 24 hour safety net, in case of any unforeseen emergencies.
Most caregivers enjoy working in the comfort of their own home and prefer not to have to travel with their patients. For this reason, many agencies that hire in home care assistance also provide transportation to and from the caregiver’s home. However, some home care assistance agencies require that the caregiver have his/her own vehicle. This often depends on the amount of coverage provided by the agency, as well as the specific duties required by each individual assignment. For example, one employee might be required to drive to work every day, while another might only need his/her own vehicle for short periods of time.
The responsibilities of a geriatric care manager do not end with driving the caregiver to and from assignments, however. The client care manager is responsible for scheduling doctor’s appointments, booking necessary medical services, checking vital signs of clients, checking the health of clients during their stay in the home, and more. In addition, the geriatric care manager is responsible for communicating with the patients, their family members, doctors, and other caregiver workers. The ability to communicate effectively helps to ensure that everyone in the home is happy, as well as helping to ensure that everyone gets the best possible care. A good geriatric care manager will not only be able to schedule appointments and communicate with the client’s caregivers, but will also be able to keep track of all patient information, including their medications and other healthcare requirements.
With all of these responsibilities, it is no wonder that many caregivers find that it is difficult to rise to the task of being a geriatric care assistant. It takes time and training to become an effective in home care assistance, especially since the majority of caregiver jobs require some sort of certification. Most agencies that hire in home care assistance, however, require the employees to undergo a short training program before they are hired on. This gives all caregivers the opportunity to learn about the specific duties, responsibilities, and responsibilities of their job, as well as gaining work experience before they begin their actual employment.
