People with disabilities or other health issues who are unable to perform daily tasks can hire a caregiver to assist them throughout the day. The carer, also known as a caregiver, may be a day employee who works at the disabled person’s home on a regular basis, or he or she may work in a live-in capacity, which means he or she is present in the home at all hours of the day and night while on the clock. Caregivers can assist patients with a variety of tasks, such as bathing, cooking, and even running errands around town.
Obtaining a position as a caregiver is usually not difficult, though candidates must have completed at least a high school education or an equivalent qualification. To be considered for a position, you’ll need additional training; first aid and CPR training are almost always required, and special certifications may be required in some parts of the world. It is best for a potential caregiver to research the various requirements for employment as a caregiver so that he or she can take the necessary steps to obtain certifications. Caregivers are frequently required to perform physical tasks as well, which may necessitate heavy lifting.
Because each person’s needs are different, the patient or person with disabilities can customize a caregiver’s job description. For example, one patient may require the caregiver’s presence throughout the day to assist with the most basic tasks, such as going to the bathroom or dressing. Other patients may only require a hired professional to come in for a few hours to help with cleaning, medication administration, or even clerical tasks like writing e-mails or making phone calls. As a result, carers’ specific responsibilities can be quite diverse.
If the caregiver has medical training, he or she may assist the patient with wound dressings, examinations, or other medical procedures, but this is unusual. Caregivers are frequently in charge of transporting patients to and from doctor’s appointments, as well as recording any special instructions that doctors may have. Caregivers aren’t typically trained medical professionals, so they aren’t always qualified to perform medical procedures.