5 Traits Of A Great Senior Caregiver

Any individual seeking a caregiver job in Santa Cruz, CA should have a diverse set of skills that make them optimal for home care. After you've narrowed your search to a few different agencies, you might not be sure who to choose. The experts who provide caregiver jobs at Visiting Angels in Central Coast CA discuss what qualities we look for when we hire our senior caregivers. 

Many families look for two very specific traits when looking for someone to fill a caregiver job or when talking to a caregiver agency. These two traits are kindness and compassion. These traits are important for any individual to have, but especially for a caregiver working for senior clients. These traits enable your family member to feel safe and understood and help a caregiver and their client form a bond more quickly. 

Other qualities we look for when hiring a senior caregiver: 

• Patience: In order to truly be effective at caring for adults and seniors in Santa Cruz and Marina, CA, it's important that a caregiver can sit still and wait for the client. Some clients might need to move a bit more slowly than others. This is just a fact of life, and of how caregiving functions. Be patient and give yourself and your client time and compassion.
• Flexibility: Knowing your clients is a great step, but do you know whether or not running late would affect their well-being? Making sure that you're flexible and are able to manage a schedule effectively will help you and your client. There are some elderly who are highly confused and cannot be left alone for more than a few minutes. These individuals are highly likely to call 9-1-1 for help because they are unsure of what's going on, or ending up on a neighbors door step scared and confused. Making sure we hire individuals who exhibit flexibility is incredibly important for the health and safety of many of our senior clients.
• Focus:  Being present is one of the most important, if not the most important traits of a great caregiver. A senior caregiver should be able to notice small changes such as appetite, mood swings, skin color, facial expression and report these changes to a doctor. It's often not a physician who notices these changes, but the individuals the elderly person spends the most time with. Even if you don't have medical training, make sure to report your observations to a physician or family member as soon as possible.
• Comfortable In Their Own Skin: There are many uncomfortable situations you'll have to deal with as a caregiver. Providing personal care such as bathing and toileting, and even feeding can feel weird in the beginning. However, individuals who are comfortable in their own skin can shrug these things off and deal with the situation at hand without ego or any weirdness.

If you are looking for a caregiver job or for a caregiver in Monterey, Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Marina, or the surrounding areas, please call our office today!