4 Easy Tips for Hiring a Caregiver

Welcoming someone new into your home to take on a caregiving role can be stressful for you as the adult child, your elderly parent as the person receiving care, and the caregiver as they come into contact with a new family and house. Here are FOUR easy ways to make the caregiver feel at home with your elderly parent while giving you peace of mind that your elderly parent is safe and comfortable.

1. Give the caregiver a tour.

If the caregiver is taking care of your loved ones in the privacy of their home, let them know where everything is. This way the caregiver knows where to look when they need something and you can safely store any valuables away. This will be helpful if your loved one has Alzheimer’s and can’t remember where everyday items are stored away within the home.

2. Familiarize the caregiver with the patient’s personality and needs.

Help orientate the caregiver by telling them the habits, likes, and dislikes of the patient they will be taking care of. This will make their life easier and make your loved one more comfortable in the long run. Especially when your loved one has particular needs that require specific instructions, make sure to give the caregiver that information. By doing this, you can optimize your homecare services and help caregivers adjust to the challenging task of providing care.

3. Learn about the caregiver.

Take the time to get to know the caregiver you’ve chosen to bring into your elderly parent’s home. Not only is this a good way to decide if you want to keep this caregiver for a long time, but asking questions about their background and where they come from shows that you care and want to get to know them. Often caregivers are the ones that are asking the questions about the patient and we forget to find out who they are. They will be spending a lot of time with your elderly parent or loved one, so take some time to get to know them.

4. Invite the caregiver to family events.

If this is a caregiver who provides round the clock assistance, including them in family events or dinners is a great way to make them feel appreciated and included. Caregivers often spend more time with the patients they take care of than they do with their own families, so making them feel included can go a long way in increasing their devotion and attentiveness towards your loved one.