A career in caregiving will also allow you to unleash your full potential while serving fellow human beings. If becoming a professional caregiver interests you, read on to learn more about what the job entails and why it could be the most rewarding career you’ll ever have.
What Does a Professional Caregiver Do?
A professional caregiver, or direct caregiver, is someone who gets paid to provide care and support to the elderly or those with disabilities or special needs. Those responsibilities may include companionship, daily care, homemaking, meals, personal care, emotional support, and medical assistance. These diverse caregiver demands require different levels of education and training depending on which role you choose.
Caregivers often work in these care settings:
- Hospitals
- Medical clinics
- Assisted living communities
- Residential care facilities
- Private residences (home care or home health care)
What Do Caregivers Love About Their Jobs?
Using home care as an example, if you were to poll the average caregiver in Fort Wayne they would probably mention these reasons why they enjoy coming to work each day:
Personal Fulfillment
For starters, you’ll feel instant gratification knowing that you’re making a difference in the lives of
others. As a caregiver, you’ll develop personal relationships with clients – and their families – and experience a sense of accomplishment that can only come with knowing that you are enhancing another human being’s quality of life.
Healthy Work-Life Balance
As a home caregiver, you’ll be able to pick and choose your work hours. This makes for a great career for any person at any stage of life, especially parents with young children or part-time students. Whether you’re in the middle of pursuing a degree or raising a family, a career as an in-home caregiver offers many rewards and opportunities, including a healthy work/life balance.
Benefits Others
When an older adult doesn’t have dependable family caregivers to look after them moving into a residential care facility is a distinct possibility. Your efforts will allow them to live comfortably and independently in their home. Generally speaking, seniors who remain independent tend to be happier, healthier and even live longer than those who aren’t.
Skill Specialization
Being a caregiver also allows you to specialize your skills. Through home care, you can either focus on adult care or pediatrics while building a career working within a specialty you enjoy. Whether you love assisting new parents bringing their infant home for the first time or an older client with complex medical needs, becoming a home caregiver puts you on the right career path to success.
Career-Enrichment
Personal development is also essential when working at any job. A career in the healthcare field will allow you to grow on both a personal and professional level. Through a supportive and nurturing environment, there are many different options each home caregiver will experience, which then allows them to choose a specific path for career advancement.
Recession-Proof
According to projections from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in healthcare
occupations – including home care – is expected to grow 15 percent over the next decade. Even during an economic recession, the demand for qualified in-home caregivers will only continue to rise. That means you will be able to take advantage of a robust market for home health jobs for many years to come.
What Traits Do Successful Caregivers in Central Florida Share?
Becoming a professional caregiver requires specific skills, passion, and a commitment to serving clients cheerfully even when you are having a bad day.
In general, the characteristics of a good caregiver include:
- Willingness to put others first
- A cheerful, loving heart
- Dedication
- Flexibility
- A respectful and supportive demeanor
- Teachability
- Strong communication skills
In addition to these qualities, caregivers must also be physically fit and in good health because of all the client lifting and transporting they may be asked to do.
Again, using home care as an example, “cream of the crop” caregivers also possess these job skills:
- An understanding of different client needs and care environments.
- The ability to function well in a private home setting.
- A firm grasp of home safety and accident prevention.
- An understanding of how to manage the day-to-day responsibilities of a home.
How Can I Find the Best Employer in Central Florida?
Once you’ve decided to become a professional caregiver, look for these employer qualities when narrowing down your job search:
Flexible Scheduling
If you are currently pursuing a degree or have a family, job flexibility is an important consideration. Look for an employer that allows you to set your hours and schedule. Whether you’re a CNA, LPN, RN, therapist, or something else, you’ll enjoy a healthier work-life balance by working for a company that offers its employees flexible scheduling options.
Steady Hours
Like everyone else, you have bills to pay. Does the home care company offer consistent hours on a regular basis? Given that assignments may vary, be sure the agency has plenty of opportunities to work and that maintaining a set number of hours every week won’t be an issue.
Reputation
Another way to gauge whether your decision is sound is by learning what others say about the agency in their own words. Discover all you can about the agency’s reputation by speaking to current and past employees, reading online client reviews, and checking out any awards or certifications they have received within the past few years.
Company Culture
If you place a high value on workplace diversity and inclusion, you’ll want to choose a home care company with a culture that aligns with your own beliefs. Working with like-minded people in a family environment that encourages the open sharing of ideas will keep you motivated even on days when nothing else seems to be going right.
Professional Development
Does the agency provide employees with personal development and growth opportunities,
including education and certification courses? Look for an employer with staff training programs
that will enable you to expand your skills and advance in your career. For instance, they might offer staff education programs on how to prepare meals for clients with dietary restrictions or effectively communicate with those living with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Income Potential
As a trained healthcare professional, you’ll want to be well-compensated for your efforts. Look for an employer that offers you the ability to make a good income upfront, along with the potential to increase your earning power through education, training, additional work responsibilities, and performance bonuses.
Join Our Winning Home Care Team in Central Florida
Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of others while serving as a professional home caregiver? If so, Easy Living invites you to join our winning team in Central Florida. Due to our expanding client load, we are currently seeking qualified individuals to fill several exciting caregiving positions. While proudly serving communities in Clearwater, Temple Terrace, and Holiday, we support clients and their families with services that include private duty care, personal care, dementia care, companionship care, medication reminders, and even 24-hour care.
As a highly valued member of the EasyLiving team, you’ll enjoy a fast-paced, positive work environment where your input is valued and hard work rewarded. We also offer competitive pay, flexible scheduling, ongoing staff training, and career advancement opportunities galore. No matter your experience level or education, we’d love to hear from you! To learn more about our agency and our open positions, please visit us today at www.easylivingfl.com.
