Caregiver Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a caregiver. Feel free to use our caregiver job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a caregiver.
Who is a Caregiver?
Caregiving is universal; one way or another, we have all benefited from caregiving and caregivers. You were catered for while growing up and must have cared for someone before. Arguably, we are all caregivers in our ranks; the difference is in the capacity or medium via which the care was administered. Generally, there are four kinds of people in the world; those who are currently caregivers, those who have been caregivers, those who will need caregivers, and those who will be caregivers. Simply, a caregiver is an individual who tends to the needs and concerns of a person with short or long-term limitations due to illness, injury, or disability. In other words, a caregiver is an unpaid or paid member of a person’s social network who helps them with their daily activities. To fully understand the importance of a caregiver, think of a carer or caregiver as a three-legged stool; professional caregivers serve as one leg of the school, family caregivers act as another leg, while the care recipient act as the final leg of the stool. Also known as carers, caregivers usually perform similar functions when caring for a family member, close friend, member of the congregation, neighbor, retiree, or patient.
As healthcare workers, most caregivers assist with impairments related to old age and mental disorders. With an aging population in most countries, the role of a caregiver has become increasingly important both functionally and economically. Many healthcare organizations recruit caregivers to provide support for physically and mentally challenged persons; they have developed forms of support for carers or caregivers as well. They manage medications, talk to doctors and nurses on the patient’s behalf, handle household chores, and process informal and formal documentation related to the health of individuals that cannot do things alone. Primarily, a caregiver is responsible for catering to the basic needs of people who cannot fully care for themselves. They handle several categories of individuals including people suffering from anxiety, depression, grief, and memory loss. While administering care, the caregiver maintains and manages their hygiene, environmental hygiene, and the care receiver’s hygiene. He or she coordinates, organizes, and manages the organization of the care receivers’ agenda; caregivers ensure the individuals meet and participate in medical appointments and other scheduled activities respectively. In a healthcare facility, a caregiver maintains close contact with the family and person receiving the care.
Fundamentally, caregivers are excellent communicators; communication is one of the most emphasized skills and qualities during training, recruitment, or orientation of caregivers. The carer is expected to notice changes in the patient’s or receivers’ condition and report to a manager, nurse, or doctor accordingly. Relatively, care must be administered or given to the dignity of the care receiver. They monitor and observe the care receivers’ body temperature, eating habits, and assist with movement and locomotion where necessary. Caregivers observe changes in an individual’s mental condition such as becoming withdrawn, confused, unhappy, and less interested. Overall, monitoring aims to take cognizance of changes, abnormal, or unusual behavior and share with managers or doctors. Depending on the nature of support rendered, long–term caregiving can take a toll on the caregivers” physical and emotional health. Thus, caregivers often have flexible shifts and schedules to enable them to have an excellent work-life balance. When rendering or providing care and support to clients in their homes, caregivers assist with grocery shopping, cooking, and general housekeeping. Ultimately, the specific function of a caregiver depends on the health needs of the care-receiver, the care home or agency, and the doctors’ recommendations.
Additionally, a caregiver assists the care receiver with self-care and social interactions through activities like listening to stories and playing games. Therefore, all caregivers are groomed to be patient and pleasant to support clients with integrity. Physical strength or stamina has been earmarked as an essential cog of caregiving; to effectively assist the care receiver in and out of bed or a wheelchair, the caregiver must be strong and healthy. In relation, caregivers are trained to develop the ability and expertise to use certain machines and equipment including a hoist. Often, carers fill care logbooks detailing their activities for a shift, day, or week respectively. Normally, a caregiver undergoes first aid and CPR training and is ready to use it in emergencies. Outstanding carers are adaptable and able to work extra hours in case a patient needs extra assistance during nights or weekends. Although most caregivers work in care and nursing homes taking care of elderly citizens and providing basic care services, others travel to different locations to provide care and support to an individual client. Some caregivers work in hospitals or long-term care facilities administering care to individuals suffering from severe illnesses. Concurrently, independent caregivers exist; these are extensively experienced carers who follow direct orders given by the individual that hired them usually the patients’ family members or health care provider.
For most caregivers, providing care for individuals with chronic illnesses or disabling conditions leads to a sense of fulfillment, establishes an extended social network or friendship groups associated with caregiving, and makes them feel needed and useful. Also, a caregiver learns more about the meaning of life whilst administering care. Significantly, caregiving provides the opportunity to connect, show affection, reminisce, and bond with people in need thus making it a rewarding, cherished, and fulfilling profession or career.
Caregiver Job Description
Below are the caregiver job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a caregiver job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
Sometimes, a caregiver acts as a personal care aide to the patient or care receiver; he or she supports patients with difficulties completing basic tasks including the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and people suffering from mental distortions. Caregivers are responsible for making a true difference in the lives of care-receivers and their families. A caregiver performs a range of duties that include planning and obtaining patients’ medication, designing and following daily schedules, preparing special meals, and providing assistance with routine activities like bathing, dressing, hygiene, and leisure. In taking the position of a caregiver, you are expected to;
- Prepare a care plan: A caregiver often prepares a care plan to cater to the needs of patients and care receivers. Developing a care plan is helpful when starting a caregiving journey; it helps the carer determine how many hours of care are required daily. Also, a care plan enables the caregiver to ascertain if they need additional help to ensure their health and safety.
- Assess the medical needs of the care-receiver: Caring for an individual with a disability, age-induced limitations, and mental impairment comes with huge and daunting responsibilities. A caregiver may need to assess and evaluate pain levels, manage medications and chronic conditions, and schedule medical appointments depending on the nature of care administered.
- Provide companionship: A carer acts as a friend to the care-receiver. Often, companionship is overlooked sometimes; however, it is one of the essential aspects of caregiving. An elderly person or old adult often feels lonely without proper care; this can pose serious health consequences such as depression. Caring for an aging adult creates a bond and strengthens the connection.
- Assist with the care receiver’s basic needs: Memory and mobility issues can make daily activities difficult. Hence, a caregiver assists patients with eating, grooming, bathing, and toileting. They check in regularly on the receiver and pay attention to specific changes and signs to determine if the patients need extra help.
- Help with housekeeping and other chores: Maintaining a home is difficult for physically and mentally challenged persons. Undoubtedly, they need help with taking out garbage, washing clothes, doing dishes, scrubbing floors, and vacuuming for example. Even in nursing and care homes, carers or caregivers might be required to do one form of housekeeping or another.
- Prepare meals: As an individual age or become sick, preparing meals becomes increasingly difficult. Relatively, individuals with a disability and mental illness find it difficult to cook. Also, balance and memory issues might make cooking unsafe. Therefore, the caregiver prepares meals according to a physician’s recommendation or finds an alternative where necessary.
- Assist with transfer and mobility: Falls are a major risk to the health of older adults and patients. Most care-receivers experience difficulties moving from their bed to a chair or the bathroom. Hence, the caregiver assists with movement and general mobility.
- Monitor medications: Care-receivers often take several prescription drugs to treat chronic conditions. The caregiver monitors such medication to lower the risks of medication mix-ups and associated health problems. Monitoring also involves creating timely reminders and ensuring the appropriate dosage is taken always.
- Maintain detailed records of services provided to each patient that includes any progress or changes in their health.
Qualifications
Many caregivers are entry-level employees that require a minimum education, training, and/or certification. To successfully perform the basic caregiving services that encompass housekeeping, meal preparation, and helping clients remember their appointments and which medication to take, a caregiver must present certain proficiencies and expertise. To manage patients, old adults, or clients with basic or special needs, a caregiver must present the following healthcare or industry-based qualifications to employers;
A minimum of a high school or secondary education. Many skills are learned whilst pursuing a high school diploma; the caregiver learns how to be patient, compassionate, tolerant, intuitive, and adaptive amongst others.
Many organizations offer certification programs for caregivers. Depending on the country or location, certification is mandatory to practice. Most countries and employers mandate carers to possess a care certificate to qualify for employment in caregiving.
Experience as a caregiver is an advantage. Due to the nature of the occupation, some care facilities prefer highly experienced caregivers; it saves time and resources.
Age qualification and background checks are extremely important in caregiving. The individual must be at least 18 years old to qualify for a caregiver position. Similarly, the ideal candidates must undergo and completely pass a background check. The caregiving industry is committed to hiring workers or employees with clean records.
Another important qualification is rigorous training in first aid and CPR. In some cases, the hiring managers favor candidates with verifiable first aid and CPR training certificates. However, some nursing homes and care facilities provide compulsory first aid and CPR training during new employee orientation and training. Training on hoisting and the use of other industry-specific equipment is an added advantage,
Essential skills
Beyond assisting patients or clients with routine activities, a caregiver also delivers medication and may perform emergency medical procedures. These require several skills and abilities. Demonstrating and possessing such skills can help improve caregivers’ chances of gaining employment. If you are interested in becoming a caregiver, understanding and honing the necessary skills can help you succeed. Thus, caregivers need the following specialized skills regardless of the level of care they provide;
Communication skills: To be successful, a caregiver must have excellent written and oral communication skills. Even if the patient can’t communicate through conventional means, the carer needs to interact with the patients’ families to provide updates on their condition and discuss care plans.
Observational skills: Sometimes, a care receiver might not articulate what is going on with their health. Others may even try to hide something from the caregiver if they are afraid of revealing any deterioration in their condition. This buttresses the need for observational skills.
Time management skills: Even if you work for a caregiving agency, you will need to be able to prioritize tasks, work efficiently, and avoid getting bogged down in time-consuming duties when the time is short.
Related skills include organization skills, interpersonal skills, cleanliness, physical strength and stamina, flexibility, and adaptability.
How to Become a Caregiver
Below are the most common steps to follow to become a qualified caregiver ready for the workplace;
Meet the education requirement: Enroll for and earn a minimum of a high school diploma. Objectively, review job listings in your location to find out the education requirements.
Obtain training and relevant work experience: You can gain work experience through an apprenticeship or part-time care and support positions to learn the responsibilities under the supervision of an experienced caregiver or nurse. This can be done while earning your degree. Usually, such positions are accompanied by employee training and orientation on first aid, use of equipment, and CPR to mention but a few.
Earn technical certifications: Besides your education, training, and experience, you could consider earning technical certifications in CPR, caregiving, or medical assistance to prepare and equip you for the daily responsibilities of a caregiver.
Finally, prepare your resume and apply for a caregiver position and role. Your resume should contain updated education and accumulated work experience.
Where to Work
Caregiving jobs are among the fastest-growing occupations in the world. As the elderly population increases, the occupational outlook for caregivers will continue to grow. In addition to new job openings, there is a high turnover of in-home health care occupations, meaning the need for caregivers is high.
One of the benefits of working as a caregiver is that you will have different work environments to choose from such as private homes, healthcare facilities, adult day care facilities, retirement homes, assisted living communities, hospitals, clinics, care agencies, rehabilitation centers, and eldercare facilities.
Caregiver Salary Scale
A caregiver can work full or part-time; schedules might include days, nights, evenings, weekends, and holidays. Salaries for caregivers vary according to relevant experience, employer, and level of education. Approximately, a caregiver earns an average of $12.23 per hour which is equivalent to $25,000 per year. Senior or experienced caregivers make up to $23 hourly while entry-level caregivers earn $8.05 per hour.