The Benefits and Rewards of a Professional Caregiving Career

A professional caregiving career is personally and professionally fulfilling.

There’s an old adage that states, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” While professional caregivers will tell you that there are days their job feels like a lot of work, they will also tell you that more often than not, a caregiving career is professionally and personally fulfilling because of the difference they make in peoples’ lives.

In working closely to assist others, caregivers utilize a variety of skills in order to ensure that the people in their care live full and engaged lives. If you’ve helped a loved one informally as a family caregiver, you probably know firsthand the important role of a caregiver – not only in helping with basic care needs, but in helping maintain dignity and independence, too.

If you’re curious about what it takes to start a professional caregiving career, but aren’t sure what skills are needed to be successful, read on to find out what Hired Hands Homecare, providers of trusted Sonoma home care services (and other nearby areas), looks for in a great caregiver.

1. Compassion and Empathy. Having compassion and empathy means understanding what someone is going through. As a caregiver, this means showing support and kindness to individuals and their families who may be dealing with a sudden change in health, recuperation from a hospitalization, or the reality of a recent diagnosis. 
2. Communication. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are vitally important in caregiving. From recording details about a client’s day in his or her care plan and interacting with clients to ensure their care needs are successfully met, to sharing updates about changes in condition with family members and medical professionals, clear and concise communication is a foundation in all caregiver interactions.
3. Patience. Working with individuals who may be impacted by age, disability or a medical condition probably means that there will be challenges in day-to-day life. For caregivers, it’s important to take these challenges in stride, to bring calm to frustrating situations, and to focus on providing compassion and understanding when navigating difficulties. 
4. Flexibility. Life doesn’t always go according to plan and for caregivers to be successful, it’s important that they are flexible, always showing a willingness to put the client’s needs at the forefront, and prepared to adapt to new routines in order to deliver exceptional, consistent care.
5. Trust and Reliability. Clients and caregivers develop unique and deep bonds, often over the course of many years. Like any other relationship, the client/caregiver relationship is built on trust and reliability. This means that caregivers show up when expected, follow through on tasks and are constantly looking out for a client’s best interests. To ensure clients and families feel comfortable with the caregiver paired with their loved one, caregivers are committed to participating in employment screenings and meeting ongoing training requirements.

Now that you know more about some of the qualities that we look for when hiring caregivers, you may be wondering what to do if you’re interested in taking the next steps to become a professional caregiver. We’re always looking to add people to our team who share our commitment to providing exceptional care in the home and who want to make a difference by ensuring that individuals are treated with dignity and respect. If this sounds like you and you’re looking for a career that offers flexibility, advancement opportunities and professional and personal growth, these are the next steps.

1. Online Application and Interview. After completing our online application, if it seems like you may be a good fit for our agency, we’ll set up an interview. During the interview, we’ll get to know a bit more about your family caregiving experience and any other professional or volunteer experience you’ve had that may translate to becoming a successful professional caregiver.
2. Screening. After the interview and successful completion of a drug, background, DMV and criminal records check, qualified candidates receive a job offer.
3. Training. Mandatory new employee onboarding includes training on: 

• Care processes and procedures, including use of the agency’s software and recordkeeping system
• Proper use of equipment to prevent client and/or caregiver injury
• Specialized care needs such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, Parkinson’s, and other chronic health conditions
• Hands-on caregiving responsibilities such as transferring, hygiene, and taking vital signs
• Safety protocols, including PPE, handwashing, cleaning and sanitizing high-touch surfaces
• And many more

4. Client Matching. Once training and onboarding have been successfully completed, caregivers are matched with clients based on availability, skills, personality and shared interests. We take pride in ensuring that the client/caregiver match is a good fit for both parties and the beginning of a long-term relationship.

If making a difference and having a positive impact on people are two of your passions, a career in professional caregiving may be the perfect fit for you. To learn more about professional caregiving opportunities with Hired Hands Homecare, visit our Careers page for information about our current openings and to submit an online application today. We proudly provide senior home care in Santa Rosa, CA and the surrounding communities