Seven Qualities to Look for In Hiring a Caregiver

When hiring a home care agency, there are certain qualities of a caregiver to look for to ensure your senior has a great aging-in-place experience. Here are seven qualities we at Destiny Senior Care think are important.

1. Patience
2. Compassion
3. Dependability
4. Trustworthiness
5. Ability to Communicate
6. Creativity
7. Humor

Patience means that a person should put up with the quirks and demands of their client. Old age often brings suffering, which can bring on complaints made to the caretaker. Also, disabilities such as not being able to walk well, or dementia, can be a source of frustration for both the senior and the caretaker.

Compassion. The root words of compassion mean to “suffer with.” Thus, the caretaker empathizes with the sufferings and difficulties of their client. When the caretaker has an understanding of their difficulties, it becomes an easier cross to bear for all involved.

Dependability. It’s vitally important that a caretaker show up at the given time and perform their duties faithfully and thoroughly. This is true not just once but every day. The caregiver must do well in carrying out her work, with all the required skills as well.

Trustworthiness. Caretakers are in a position to have access to their client’s goods and valuables. These workers need to have a sense of right and wrong and respect their clients’ private property and personal boundaries. The caretaker should not breach that trust by taking advantage of the senior.

Ability to Communicate. This trait involves listening, empathy and diplomacy. A cheerful attitude makes the day go better. One must listen attentively, even to what is unspoken. Tone of voice and body gestures must display a sense of generosity and goodwill toward the senior.

Creativity. Caregivers need to find new ways to fulfill the needs of the elderly client and discover activities that they enjoy. Thus, they might come up with suggestions for foods, clothing combinations, games, songs, and types of light exercise. Caregivers must be able to think on the fly when a situation changes.

Humor. Finally, a lighthearted demeanor towards others and one’s self is helpful in forming a strong bond of friendship. Humor lightens the burden of difficulties and helps us see human foibles in a new light. “A joyful heart is good medicine.” (Prov. 17:22)

Are you looking for these seven qualities in a caretaker? We at Destiny Senior Care carefully train our workers to observe and develop these characteristics so that we can give you the best service possible.