Are you considering a career in caregiving but aren’t sure what the job is all about? As someone providing nonmedical care to others, each day as a professional caregiver brings new fulfillment opportunities along with the occasional challenges. Although it may be hard to predict your daily or weekly routine with absolute certainty, here’s what to expect when looking after someone — in this instance, a senior — who’s aging in place at home.
What Does a Home Caregiver Do?
But first, you’ll need to learn what a professional caregiver does in more detail. Using home care as an example, these are some of the more common duties that you will be asked to perform while serving in the role of a caregiver:
Personal Care
- Assistance with hygiene
- Bathing
- Grooming and dressing
- Transferring and ambulation assistance
- Incontinence care
Companionship
- Recreational activities
- Sort and read mail
- Incidental transportation
- Religious reading and reminders
- Discuss current and historical events
- Escort/transport to appointments
- Entertainment
- Behavioral assistance to improve overall emotional well-being and quality of life
Homemaking Services
- Light housekeeping
- Laundry
- Running errands
- Grocery shopping
- Meal planning and preparation
- Medication reminders
- Changing bed linens
- Vacuuming
Where Do Caregivers Work?
In addition to private residences, caregivers work in settings that include:
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- Hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Assisted living communities
- Adult daycare
- Medical clinics
What Would a Typical Day Be Like?
One of the benefits of being a caregiver is having the flexibility to enjoy a healthy work/life balance while raising a family or going to school. Most home care agencies offer their employees flexible scheduling options that range from full-day and half-day shifts to part-time or hourly work.
As a home caregiver, here’s what to expect in a typical day while working a full-day shift:
Wake-up assistance
Caregivers often help clients get out of bed in the morning. This process can include anything from providing a simple wake-up call to assisting with personal hygiene, bathing, dressing, grooming, taking prescribed medications, and preparing breakfast. Taking care of someone with chronic pain who has trouble sleeping at night may mean having to adjust their wake-up time to accommodate their needs.
Morning routine
If your client has scheduled medical appointments or social engagements, you’ll need to prepare them in good time. If poor mobility or dementia is an issue, you may need to arrange transportation and escort them to their appointment. That way, you can update the family about their loved one’s condition.
If their morning is free, it may be time for some exercise. Depending on your client’s mobility and health needs, this could be anything from a short walk in the beautiful outdoors to more strenuous activity.
Lunchtime
Now it’s time to prepare a healthy lunch. While eating, you both can make plans for the remainder of the afternoon. Be sure to prioritize your client’s preferences for the afternoon activity.
Afternoon routine
Since the benefits of socialization for seniors are well-documented, the afternoon is an ideal time to help clients socialize with family and friends. Set them up with a Zoom or FaceTime video call, during which you can catch up on tasks around the home like doing laundry, cleaning, washing dishes, managing medical appointments, etc.
Evening routine
As the day draws to a close, you will need to make dinner preparations for the client while respecting their dietary needs and restrictions. Soon after that, it will be time for them to head off to bed. Before getting them settled in for the night, you may need to assist your client with their hygiene, bathing, and grooming needs.
Once that’s done, you can return home knowing that you’ve had a productive day helping someone in need remain in their home!
Is Caregiving Your Calling? Join Our Winning Team Today!
If you are ready to make a difference in the lives of others by serving as a professional in-home caregiver, we invite you to join our winning team. Due to our expanding client load, HomeChoice Home Care is currently seeking qualified individuals to fill several exciting caregiving positions. While proudly serving communities in Wake, Durham, Clayton, Archer Lodge, and more, we support clients and their families with home care services that include personal care, respite care, private duty care, 24-hour care, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, and more.
As a highly valued member of the HomeChoice Home Care team, you’ll enjoy a fast-paced, positive work environment where your input is valued, and hard work rewarded. We also offer competitive pay, flexible scheduling, ongoing staff training, and career advancement opportunities galore. No matter your experience level or education, we’d love to hear from you! To learn more about our open positions, please visit us today at www.homechoicehomecare.com.
