Starting Your Career as a Professional Caregiver

Professional caregiving is a growing career choice for individuals looking for a position with rewarding daily work, flexible scheduling, and a sense of purpose. But if you’re new to caregiving, making the career transition might feel overwhelming. If you’re considering working as a professional caregiver, some ideal first steps are learning about the role of a caregiver and sharpening your leadership skills. 

Educate yourself on the role of a professional caregiver

Before you embark on becoming a professional caregiver, it’s essential to understand what a professional caregiver does. Professional caregivers are trained individuals who provide nonmedical services to seniors. Nonmedical tasks may include light housekeeping, meal preparations, medication reminders, personal grooming, transportation, and mobility assistance. 

At Visiting Angels, all our professional caregivers are at-home caregivers, meaning they provide nonmedical services to seniors in the client’s home. Our caregivers assist with tasks to ensure clients are safe, comfortable, and able to live alone. The goal behind at-home services is to help seniors remain independent in the comfort of their own homes. 

Some professional caregivers provide basic personal and companion care services, while others specialize in the care they provide. At Visiting Angels, we have caregivers with dementia clients and others who work alongside hospice teams to give emotional and spiritual comfort to seniors entering their last stage of life. 

Freshen up on your leadership skills

Beyond the technical skills of caring for another person, caregiving requires many leadership skills to lead a successful career. Leadership skills relevant to caregiver work include communication, empathy, time management, and dependability. As you prepare for your new role as a professional caregiver, read books, take online classes, or sign up for workshops to improve your leadership skills. 

• Communication-
  Your communication skills are about how well you can convey information to another person. Proper communication is essential in building trusting relationships with clients and their families.
   
• Empathy-
  An empathetic person knows how to see a situation from another person’s viewpoint. Having empathy as a caregiver can help you better understand what your client may feel or experience during difficult situations.
   
• Time management-
  As a caregiver, you’re responsible for managing your time, which includes arriving on time at your client’s home, completing necessary tasks during your shift, and ensuring your clients get to appointments on time while caring for them.
   
• Dependability-
  Clients depend on their caregivers for many daily tasks, like eating, using the bathroom, and getting dressed. You must be someone your clients can rely on to keep them safe and comfortable at home. 

Working with Visiting Angels

If you’re ready to start your career as a professional caregiver, the Visiting Angels Grand Junction team would love to connect. Visiting Angels is a locally owned and operated home care agency dedicated to helping seniors in our community. We have part-time and full-time positions available with flexible scheduling, competitive pay, paid training, reimbursable mileage, and bonus opportunities. 

Please send us your application or call 970.254.8888 to take the first step in starting your career as a professional caregiver.