Benefits and Challenges of Professional Caregiving
Professional caregiving is a growing career choice for individuals seeking a rewarding and flexible career. And with most of the United States population approaching their senior years, professional caregiving will only become more demanding.
While there are many benefits to working as a professional caregiver, it also comes with challenges. And understanding both sides of the equation is essential in determining if professional caregiving is the right career choice for you.
Benefits of Professional Caregiving
There are plenty of reasons people choose to work as professional caregivers. A few of the top benefits of caregiving include rewarding work, flexibility, and autonomy.
Your daily work is rewarding
A professional caregiver’s primary responsibility is to care for another person, and there’s nothing more rewarding than helping someone live a full, healthy, and independent life. Not only is the act of helping another person feel good, but you can also witness how your daily work significantly impacts your clients’ lives. And many clients are more than open about sharing how happy and appreciative they are of your help.
You have flexibility in your schedule
Caregiving is not a traditional nine-to-five job, although if those are your preferred work hours, you can likely find a client requesting assistance at that time. However, if you like early mornings, late nights, or overnight shifts, you have the flexibility to set your weekly schedule and take on clients when it’s beneficial for you. When you work with an at-home care agency like Visiting Angels, there’s also plenty of opportunity for extra shifts and bonuses on weeks when you may have more free time.
You can take charge of your career
Unlike an office or factory position, where you often have a manager or supervisor overlooking everything you do, professional caregiving is a job that comes with a lot of autonomy. If you’re working for an agency like Visiting Angels, you’ll have someone to report to, but you are responsible for completing your work without micromanagement. Autonomy allows you to take charge of your career and build confidence in yourself as a caregiver.
Challenges of Professional Caregiving
No job comes without its challenges. But if you work hard, ask questions, and continue developing your skills as a professional caregiver, it’s easy to overcome any learning curves or exhaustion that may come your way.
There may be a learning curve
As with any new job, you will likely experience a learning curve as a caregiver, especially if you don’t have a home aide background. However, don’t let the fear of something new make you hesitate to transition to caregiving. When you work with Visiting Angels, we ensure all our new hires undergo the proper training to feel confident in their position. Even after training, when you’re working alone with clients, you can always reach out to the office staff or other caregivers for advice, help, or guidance. You can also enroll in outside training for specialized home care services, such as dementia care if you want to hone your skills as a professional caregiver.
Some days will be mentally or emotionally exhausting
When you work as a caregiver, you’re going to build relationships with your clients and have positive interactions more often than not. However, given the nature of caregiving, there will be days when a client isn’t feeling well or might refuse assistance. You may feel overwhelmed in those moments, but practicing patience and empathy is essential when things get challenging. Many changes come with age, and it’s natural for clients to feel anxious, angry, or scared. While it’s mentally and emotionally draining at the moment, know that your work as a caregiver is appreciated and significantly improves your clients’ lives.
Starting a Career with Visiting Angels
The benefits greatly out weigh the challenges of working as a professional caregiver. If you’re ready to start your career as a professional caregiver, the team at Visiting Angels Flagstaff would love to connect. We are filling part-time and full-time positions to work with seniors in Flagstaff, Payson, ShowLow, and the surrounding areas. You can send us an application online or call 928.220.4100 to learn more.