Being a family caregiver to a loved one is a very rewarding and worthwhile endeavor, but it’s not always an easy task. Whether you’re supporting someone with mobility challenges or helping them live out their days with dignity and comfort, there are many caregiver skills you need to ensure their safety and well-being, as well as your own.
The same goes if you’re considering a career as a home caregiver. You’ll be assisting families and vulnerable people at their most challenging times, offering practical, professional and emotional support. It’s a satisfying and fulfilling calling – but it takes a special kind of person to do it.
What Skills Do I Need to Become a Home Caregiver?
There are many technical skills required to perform caregiving duties, like lifting, first aid and using specialized equipment – though if you become a caregiver with FirstLight, these are covered in your training. In fact, some of the most important caregiver skills that will stand you in good stead are what we call ‘soft skills’ – that is, the way you interact with people, cope with stress, react to challenges and solve problems on a daily basis.
Whether you’re caring for aging parents, helping a loved one through rehabilitation or considering a new career in the dynamic home care industry, some of the skills you’ll find helpful include:
Communication Skills Being able to communicate with others is an essential skill for a home caregiver. Being able to articulate something as simple as a daily schedule or as complicated as health concerns and observations with the person in your care, family members and healthcare providers is critical. Remember, you may be working with people from other cultures or individuals with vision or hearing impairments, so communication is key to ensuring that everyone involved in the caregiving relationship has access to clear and accurate information.
Physical Strength and Stamina In-home caregiver job duties include a variety of physical tasks, from carrying groceries to vacuuming to helping individuals with mobility. It can involve long days being on your feet, so having a baseline level of physical strength and stamina is important to maintain your own health and that of your family member or client.
Problem Solving Skills Rarely is there a day in which everything goes exactly according to plan, and it is no different in caregiving situations. When plans change, appointments get canceled or new routines are required, it is crucial that a caregiver can pivot and adapt to last-minute changes and take on unexpected challenges. Thinking on your feet as a caregiver is important for the person in your care and for you.
Willingness to Learn Many patients require skilled nursing at home for procedures such as wound dressing, blood sugar testing and catheter or ostomy management. You don’t have to have a medical background, but a desire to observe and learn will be essential to provide better care for your loved one or further your career as a caregiver.
Patience There are challenges that come with caregiving, especially if you are offering senior care services that include caring for a patient with dementia. Patients may become confused, agitated or paranoid, and it’s then that a caregiver most needs to remain calm and patient. Dealing with extreme emotions in a patient or loved one can be upsetting, and sometimes caregivers need to take a step back and take care of themselves just as they would the person in their care. Sometimes knowing your limits and not being afraid to ask for help is the best way to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
Compassion Showing compassion means being able to tune in to another person’s distress and having the feelings and desire to alleviate it. People needing care could be feeling frustrated, embarrassed, helpless, lonely or bored, in addition to being in pain. Compassion means considering the person, as well as treating their symptoms. Kindness, empathy and a caring heart are absolute “must-have” qualities for caregivers.
FirstLight Home Care Is Hiring Caregivers Across the Country
At FirstLight, we look for caregivers who help make everyday activities easier for their clients and whose mission is to improve their lives. We hire kind, caring, empathetic people with a genuine desire to make the world a better place, and with the following skills:
- A passion for caregiving and a desire to help others
- A commitment to being present and providing quality care
- Empathy, patience, kindness and respect
- An understanding of different clients’ needs
- Communication skills necessary to interact with a variety of clients and their families
- Ability to effectively manage your time and the demands of the job
- A commitment to 100-percent client satisfaction
Be Part of the Culture of Care at FirstLight Home Care
It takes a special person to become a professional caregiver. Though previous caregiving experience is preferred, if you have or can learn these caregiver skills, then you might just have what it takes. FirstLight offers paid training, ongoing education and development, career advancement opportunities and meaningful work that makes a positive difference in the lives of others.
If you want more information on starting a new and rewarding career as an in-home caregiver, search for FirstLight career opportunities near you today.
FirstLight Home Care is proud to CHAMPION the family caregiver, offering empathy, advice, and support for those who provide countless hours of care to their loved ones living with Alzheimer’s. We want to provide a helping hand, relieve some of the stress that comes with caregiving and give you back a few hours in your overwhelmingly busy day.