A senior caregiver is someone who helps senior citizens with their daily activities when they need it. Because the job consists primarily of what are considered custodial duties, it is not a medically skilled position. Medical jobs that require skill, such as medication administration and other medical services, are usually performed by those who have been trained to do so. However, in some cases, it may be medically necessary for a senior caregiver to have more advanced medical training in order to respond appropriately in the event of an emergency. In these situations, a certified nursing assistant or even a full-fledged nurse may be assigned to provide care, though this is not common.
All people require six activities of daily living (ADLs): eating, bathing, toileting, and dressing are self-explanatory; transferring refers to a senior’s ability to move from bed to chair and vice versa; and continence refers to the ability to control urinary and fecal discharge. Mobility, or the ability to move around freely, is recognized by some authorities as a seventh ADL. “Assistance” with ADLs can be hands-on or stand-by; that is, a senior caregiver may be required only to be available to provide assistance if the patient is unable to do so on his or her own, or the senior may be completely incapable of performing the ADL on his or her own and must be assisted.
The responsibilities of a senior caregiver aren’t overly complicated, but they do require some training and a temperament that allows them to routinely perform tasks that many people would consider demeaning, such as helping another adult dress or assisting an adult who is incontinent. Furthermore, because the inability to perform ADLs is frequently linked to the onset of dementia, senior caregivers must be capable of dealing with the sometimes unreasonable demands of those suffering from the disease. Because most long-term care insurance policies only cover services provided by a certified senior caregiver, some senior caregivers pursue additional training that leads to state certification.
Senior caregivers may assist the elderly in their homes or in facilities such as adult daycare centers and nursing homes. When they provide care at home, it’s usually referred to as “long term care,” though “home health care” is a popular description, and the senior caregiver may be referred to as a “home health aide.” Placement of a senior in a nursing home is usually considered a last resort, due to both the cost of care and the psychological impact, and seniors and their families will go to great lengths to avoid it. Fortunately, the required training isn’t time-consuming or difficult, and many family members of seniors in need of care are capable of providing a significant portion of the care required. Adult daycare centers, which are sometimes referred to as “nursing homes that are open during business hours,” provide seniors with ADL assistance as well as necessary medical attention such as medication administration and dressing changes during the day while their adult children are at work.