There’s a lot of routine involved in a caregiver’s daily duties. But at the same time, they also need to be able to expect the unexpected. An accident or an episode can happen at any moment and a caregiver’s ability to adapt and act quickly is what differentiates them from a housekeeper or a family member trying to help out their elder.
On a typical day their tasks would include:
Transport
One of the main tasks caregivers will need to do is running everyday errands like grocery shopping and picking up medications. They will also need to accompany the senior to hair, doctor etc. appointments.
Meal preparation and cooking
Being a caregiver will require some culinary skills as they have to take care of preparing nutritious and wholesome meals on a daily basis. Some creativity in the kitchen won’t hurt either as the senior most probably won’t enjoy eating the same meals everyday. Most caregivers discuss and lay out a weekly meal plan with the senior’s family. The kind of meals they prepare will depend on the senior’s state of health.
Light housekeeping
This includes routine activities that will keep the senior’s home clean, safe and well-organized. In addition to every day cleaning, such as dusting, vacuuming and emptying the trash, caregivers will also take care of things like watering plants, picking up clutter, tending to laundry and organizing closets.
Personal care
It’s very common for seniors to start neglecting their hygiene. As we age the simple tasks like getting dressed or bathing can become very tiresome and in some cases even painful. This is thus a crucial part of a caregiver’s daily duties. They can assist with as much or as little needed to maintain the senior’s daily personal hygiene, while also helping them maintain independence safely.
Taking medications and assisting with other medical needs
This is an important task as the senior will most probably have multiple medications to take daily and most of them will be vital to their continued well-being. There are also various factors that could lead to them having difficulties taking them regularly (e.g dementia). A qualified caregiver will be equipped with all the skills necessary to manage and administer medications.
Companionship
Most seniors will be living alone; their children, if any, will be grown and have their own families, so it can get lonely being by themselves. This is why opting for a live-in caregiver is such a popular choice. Not only are the seniors comfortable at home but they also have someone there to provide them with company. Caregivers will chat and engage in various activities with the senior on a daily basis.
Caregivers need a lot of compassion and patience and besides these regular duties, a caregiver might have to take care of or assist the senior with various other things as well. The most important part of their job though, is to be there for the senior; be it for assistance or just companionship.
If you are a caregiver or aspiring caregiver and these duties sounds like something you would enjoy doing, we encourage you to contact us or check out our jobs page for openings.
