Cleaning Your Patient Effectively
Filed under Caregiver education
For nurses, home caregivers, CNAs or other assistive personnel, there will inevitably come a time when cleaning a patient will take priority. Elderly incontinence is one of the main reasons patients need to be cleaned, and a home caregiver may not have the proper skills to perform such a task. Although cleaning a patient seems like a relatively simplistic job, there are a few skills that should be reviewed so that in any situation the healthcare personnel will be effective.
Moving The Patient During Cleaning
Cleaning a patient often relies on the caregiver to move the patient effectively. When a patient cannot move on his or her own, one will need to manually move the patient. The best way to move an immobile patient who is bedridden is by using the log rolling method. The log roll method relies on having a pad or towel underneath the patient prior to moving them. For the single health care worker to move a patient, he or she should lower the bedrails, lean over the patient, and grasp the patient’s perineal pad and pull back toward the side of the bed where they are standing. If the patient has traction, casts, or any immobile device, the healthcare worker must pay special attention as to where the device is situated so it can be properly returned to that position. For patients in traction, two healthcare personnel should be involved with any type of movement.
Proper Cleaning
Proper cleaning begins at the top of the patient and progresses down. The most effective way to wash a patient’s hair is to use a basin and soak the patient’s head with warm water. Do not worry about soaking the bed sheets because you will be changing them after you bathe the patient. If water is a concern, there are water free shampoos that can be dried off with a towel. No water spills or messes. After soaking the head, be sure to shampoo the hair in a firm but gentle manner. Patients who have not been cleaned properly can develop “cradle cap” in their scalp, which are lesions due to excessive oil. While washing the hair, the face can be cleansed at the same time. Do your best to keep soap and water away from the patient’s eyes although there may be some residual. While washing down the body, make sure you keep your patient’s privacy by undressing as washing progresses. Let the patient know when you will be cleaning their perineal and genital areas. If the patient can complete this task it may be better to let them. As you clean below the waist line, the healthcare worker should monitor for any type of pressure ulcers. Cleaning is the perfect time to inspect for any new or chronic injuries. Be sure to report
Elderly Caretaker’s Important Role For Seniors
Filed under Caregiver education, Elderly Caregiver
The percentage of elderly residents in the United States continues to grow on a daily basis. The sustained growth in this segment of the population has resulted in an increasing need for elderly caretakers to provide support services to aging Americans. The role of the elderly caretaker is extremely important, as these caretakers often enable the elderly and senior to remain in their own homes and to maintain a certain degree of independence in their lives.
The role of an caretaker for the elderly and seniors is often multidimensional. Typically, elderly caretakers work with aging clients who are unable to perform certain tasks due to specific health problems. Some clients are confined to their homes due to mobility problems and depend upon their caregivers or caretakers for transportation and delivery of groceries and other supplies to their homes. Caretakers often provide transportation to and from medical appointments and keep an eye on the overall health status of their clients. More importantly, they provide companionship and a sense of security in case of accidents and problems that may occur.
Caretakers For Elderly Expected Salaries
Due to the varying levels of care and time expended by elderly caretakers, it is not surprising that there is a wide degree of variance in the salary earned by such caretakers. For instance, a caretaker who works with a client on Tuesdays and Thursdays for five hours each day will earn significantly less money than a live in caretaker who is virtually on call 24 hours a day. In general terms, an elderly caregiver who works with clients 40 hours per week can expect to earn between $20,000 and $25,000 annually.
Elderly Caretaker Education
A college degree is typically not required, but elderly caretakers should be responsible and dependable. They should be familiar with the physical and mental health status of their clients, and should also keep track of their household routines and required medical appointments. Elderly caretakers with specialized degrees or skill sets can earn a significantly higher salary depending upon experience, skills utilized and education.
In conclusion, caretakers for the elderly play an important role in the lives of their clients. They provide assistance with transportation, health care, and routine household maintenance. There will be a continued need for elderly caretakers as long as the elderly population continues to grow.
Tags: Senior Caretakers
Interviewing A Caregiver
Filed under Caregiver Career, Caregiver education, Job Resources
How do you make sure the person you are hiring is right for this position? Caregiving can be intense at times and this pressure can mount on someone who not prepared. They must be able to deal with the situation without getting frustrated at the patient. The caregiver may be very qualified with their degrees and education but if they lack the ability to smile and be happy around patients, they might not fit the job duties required.
For a patient, laughter is still one of the best medicines. If a caregiver can keep the patient happy, their health can improve too.
Caregiver Traits
Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Caregiver
- Light hearted – Ask them to tell you a joke or a funny situation they experienced recently.
- Happy – Smiling is simply not enough to determine this trait. Ask them how they unwind and relax after a long day? This shows how well they handle stressful situations and a good indicator of their happiness.
- Open-minded – Ask them how open they are to new ideas. Do they listen well to the patient’s request? Caregivers should be servants to the patients and not authority figures. They should be open to ideas and requests as long as it is not harmful to the health of the patient.
- Healing – Are they capable of making the patient feel better? How much knowledge do they know of the particular ailments that affect the patient? A good caregiver will research the ailments and make themselves a better caregiver from learning it. An elderly caregiver should know how to transfer an elderly patient from a bed to supporting mobility device such as a wheelchair or a walker. Other things a caregiver should know is how to keep the living area free from things that could injury the patient.
Look for these good caregiver traits when interviewing someone for a position. These questions and traits are perfect for when you are interviewing a caregiver for an Alzheimer patient. If you are looking for a caregiver job, make sure you have these traits when being interviewed. The more traits you have, the better your chances of landing that job. Be sure to get a good background check on the person applying for the job position if necessary.
Tags: Caregiver Traits
Example of Caregiver Resume Samples
Filed under Caregiver Career, Caregiver education, Job Resources
Before you start on any caregiver resume, write down a list of your personal qualifications and experience. If you have taken care of a loved one in their time of need, those are important caregiving skills to report. Depending on the condition of the cared one, your skills will vary. A resume should encompass everything that makes you qualified for the position. Make sure it is focused according to the objective. Imagine if the objective in a resume was an essay question. The rest of the resume should support the reasons why you can fulfill the resume objectives. If your intention is to work with disabled persons, then your resume should list the skills involved such as understanding proper patient lifting techniques. It is also important to note, in your caregiver resume, your knowledge of the particular ailment or disease.
Caregiver for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia patients
Dressing is a particular difficult task for dementia patients so you add that to your skill set. Explain how you used good communication skills and techniques to get the task done. In cases of Alzheimer’s caregiving, you may be more involved in their daily schedule management and taking care of their finances.
Caregiver for elderly person
A caregiver for an elderly person may have dealt with elderly incontinence and/or helping administer medication that was prescribed by their doctors.
Caregiver for disabled
When caring for a disabled person, you might have done a lot of transferring from bed to wheel chair and vice versa. You might also be proficient with Hoyer lift transfers. You may also have some skills in daily hygiene such as bathing, combing and brushing.
Free Sample Caregiver Resumes
Here is a sample caregiver resume with a list of basic caregiving tasks and skills. Use the free sample caregiver resumes as templates and remember to keep the objective focused on your intended job position. Pay close attention to the resume layouts and the ways that it captures the reader’s eyes.
If you want to make your caregiver resume more personal, you can add a face profile picture. Make sure to smile and show warmth and happiness. If you were in the position to pick a caregiver for your elderly parent, would you pick someone that was sad or angry looking in the profile? I certainly would not. Get proper lighting and give a genuine smile.
Here is another version of a caregiver resume for someone without an employment history. Without the employment history, list the most relevant job skills first that would aid your hiring. This goes counter to the chronologically correct resumes that lists the most recent jobs first. But remember that caregiver employers will only give your resume a few seconds of time. You want to be able to provide the most convincing evidence from the top of the resume to the bottom.
Finding a resume sample is easier more than ever. There are thousands of sample resume cover letters with resume sample objectives found on the internet. You can even make a free resume online by picking and choosing your favorite resume templates. Keep searching till you find what you need.
Fill out the job search form below. Enter your desired job position and employment location. Then click on Find Jobs.
Tags: Resume
Signs of a Bad Caregiver
Filed under Caregiver education, Elderly Caregiver
You suspect something is wrong with your loved one but you are not sure what it is. It is possible the “care” from the caregiver is the cause of the problem. Look out for some of these signs.
Is the caregiver not showing respect towards your loved one? Do they listen? Are they considerate? Does the Alzheimer caregiver show respect? Are they punctual? Do they have any manners? How often does the elderly caregiver encourage your loved one? Do they go above and beyond their duties? How often does the caregiver assume things?
Signs of Caregiver Abuse
Rarely listens to you or your loved one. Tell them something and see if they can recall it back moments later. It might be something as simple as planning out a meal.
The bad caregiver interrupts your loved one and interjects their own opinion on the matter without letting your loved one finish their thoughts.
Talks to one being cared for like a baby. For example, “I know what’s best for you.” “Be a good girl and eat your meal.” “You shouldn’t eat that, it’s not good for you.” They make gestures and sounds that are similar to baby noises. Giving pet names to your loved one like “honey”, “sweetie”, or “baby” are quite disrespectful unless there is some agreement that it’s alright to use those words.
Here is one that is always irritating. Caregivers talk to someone as if they are deaf even when they can hear you fine. If you see a caregiver raising their voices for no particular reason to your loved one, that is a bad thing.
Do they laugh or smirk at your loved one about their elderly incontinence? This is an immediate sign of not showing any respect for their situation.
Towering over your loved one like they are in command and being an authority to them. The caregiver and the person being cared for should be on equal terms and should never be looked down upon. You can see this happening if they give orders to your loved one and never asks them for their permission.
Caregiver taking personal phone calls during their work hours. They talk on their phones while ignoring your cared one and even acting as if they do not understand or exist.
If you see these signs in a caregiver, talk to your loved one and ask them how they are being treated. If they are unable to communicate their words, you have to be more aware of the treatment and behaviors of a bad caregiver. Sadly, this does happen and many elderly, disabled, and mentally challenged individuals get taken advantage. Find more in home caregivers in your local area and give your loved one, the care they deserve.
Tags: Bad Caregiver
