Become a Personal Caregiver

Medical experts agree that we are living longer. This means that personal caregiving, especially for elderly relatives, is a growing concern.[1] You might be considering becoming a professional caregiver, or you might be taking on the responsibilities of caregiving for an elderly parent or loved one. Either way, personal caregiving can be a demanding but rewarding job.

Steps

Beginning a Professional Career

  1. Talk with someone in the field. [2] Talking with a professional caregiver will give you a sense of what the everyday requirements and difficulties of the job are so that you can determine if this is the right position for you.
  2. Volunteer. As part of your research, you’ll want to test out if this is the right career choice for you. You can volunteer at a hospital or look for other volunteer opportunities in your area. Volunteering as a personal caregiver will also help you build your resume for future employment opportunities.
    • A good place to start looking for volunteer opportunities is through your Area Agency on Aging. You can search the National Association for Area Agencies on Aging to find out more details on your local agency.[3]
  3. Look up your state's certification requirements. Each state has different licensing requirements for at home caregivers. Knowing these in advance will help you determine what certification programs or degrees are a good fit for you.[4]
    • There are also a number of roles you can take on as a personal caregiver, such as becoming a Companion Caregiver, Home Health Aide, or Certified Nursing Aide.[5] It would be a good idea to look into training and certification processes for these different roles.
  4. Learn CPR. As with any kind of health care position, you’ll need to know the basics. You can take CPR courses in person or online through the American Red Cross.[6].
  5. Get certified. While many home care agencies offer training[7], if you choose a different work environment, you may be responsible for your own training. There are many routes you might take to become a certified personal caregiver.
    • If your state requires certification, there are a number of affordable online courses you can take. The Institute for Professional Care Education, for instance, offers a 40 hour certification program and cost just under a hundred dollars.[8] You can also find a course that will prepare you to be a home health aide through the American Red Cross website.[7] The Family Caregiver Alliance also offers courses. [7][9]
  6. Earn a CNA degree. Even if your state does not require a degree to become a professional caregiver, becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) will give you more job options. A CNA program takes only 6 to 12 weeks.[10]
    • Before entering a CNA program, you will need to have earned a high school diploma or GED.[10]
    • Most community colleges offer a CNA program. You can search for programs in your area or online through the All Allied Heath Schools’ website.[10]
  7. Take the CNA certification exam. After completing your CNA training, you will need to take your state CNA certification exam. Usually, your CNA program will offer the certification exam.[10]
    • Even after passing your CNA certification exam, you will likely need to take continuing education courses. Fourty-eight hours every two years is the typical requirement for most states.[10]
  8. Search for a job. You’ll fist want to decide which kind of work environment is best for you. Personal caregivers are hired for a number of places, such as nursing homes, home care agencies, families (for in home care), assisted living facilities, and so forth.
    • Make a list of facilities in your area that may be hiring. A good place to start is the government website for Medicare, which allows you to search for nursing homes across the U.S.[11][12] The National Association for Home Care & Hospice Agency Locator is another great resource that you can use to locate your potential workplace.[13]
    • You can search websites such as Indeed.com for jobs as a personal caregiver, or you can search through home care agencies such as Comfort Keepers or Senior Helpers.
    • Consider non-agency positions where you would work for an individual directly. In some cases, a state agency may be in place to put personal caregivers in touch with people on Medicaid. See if your state has a Home Care Referral Registry.[14]

Caring for Your Elderly Relative

  1. Make a budget. Becoming a full time caregiver for a relative can be a sacrifice of both time and money. Take some time to weigh the costs before deciding to become a caregiver.
    • If you are planning to quit a current job to care for a family member full time, consider not only the loss of income but also of benefits (such as retirement and healthcare).
    • Create a list of costs for caregiving[15], such as medication, doctor’s visits, diet, and any special assistance that might be needed (e.g., physical therapy). Determine what will be covered by your family member’s insurance and what will be out of pocket costs.
  2. Create a personal care agreement. If loss of employment is a concern for you, consider creating a personal care agreement. This agreement is a document that specifies future compensation, rate of compensation, and weekly hourly minimums and maximums. The personal care agreement should be agreed upon by all family members and treated as a legal document.[16]
  3. Hold a family meeting. Whether or not you have decided to draft a personal care agreement, holding a family meeting to discuss elder care will clarify familial roles and expectations from the outset.[16]
    • Any family member involved in caregiving activities should be present at the meeting. If the individual receiving care is well enough to be included in the decision making process, they should also be present to express their wishes.[16]
    • Have a designated facilitator for the meeting. This might be someone in the family or an outside person, such as a clergy member or social worker.[16]
  4. Set up a mediation. Elder care can be an especial stressful time for a family, and agreements on care might be difficult. If you can’t come to an agreement with your family members during your initial meeting, consider professional mediation.[16]
    • The National Care Planning Council, which offers elder and family mediation services, is a good place to start if you decide mediation is the best route for your family.[17]
  5. Document your family meeting or mediation session. You can record the meeting or designate a note-taker. You can also create a folder (whether hard-copy or digital) that includes any important health care documentation (such as the personal care agreement, records of family meetings, Medicare or insurance information, medical records, Power of Attorney, and so forth).[16]
  6. Clarify family roles. For instance, determine who will have Power of Attorney, who can best function as the primary caregiver, what the primary caregiver’s role and responsibilities will be (and for how long), who will be a secondary caregiver, should the primary caregiver become ill, what compensation will be provided, and so forth.[16]
  7. Create a schedule. Because personal caregiving can be an all-consuming job (and one that may or may not be compensated), set up a schedule for other family members to assist in caregiving.[18]
    • For instance, one sibling might volunteer to take your relative to four doctor’s appointments each month.
  8. Communicate clearly. Although no one likes to talk about death, understanding what your relative wants and being clear about your own limitations can help to circumvent any possible misunderstandings or family arguments.
    • Talk to your loved one about his or her will and end-of-life wishes. Be sure the necessary paperwork (such as your relative’s will) is up to date.[15]
    • Even after your family meeting, the primary caregiver should update the other family members involved. A weekly email or monthly video call to family members who aren’t local will help keep lines of communication open and also allows you to discuss any modifications of the initial plans or newly developed health issues.[18]
  9. Tell your family members when you need help. Full time caregiving can be a huge time constraint. You might need the day off to run errands or a personal “mental health day.”
    • Frustrations can arise if you feel you are the only one caring for your relative and no one is helping you. However, realize that other family members just might not know the mental, emotional, and physical strains you are undergoing. Clear communication can circumvent family tensions.[18]

Tips

  • Explore the National Family Caregiver Support Program, which offers counseling, caregiver training, and information and access to support services, as well as respite services.[19]

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/features/role-reversal-caregiving-for-aging-parents
  2. ↑ https://www.caring.com/articles/how-to-become-a-professional-caregiver
  3. ↑ http://www.n4a.org/
  4. ↑ https://www.caregiverlist.com/Caregiver-Training-Requirements-By-State.aspx
  5. ↑ https://www.caregiverlist.com/Caregiver-Training-Requirements-By-State.aspx
  6. ↑ http://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/program-highlights/cpr
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 https://www.caring.com/articles/how-to-become-a-professional-caregiver
  8. ↑ http://www.personalcareaidetraining.com/pca-certification/
  9. ↑ https://www.caregiver.org/resources-health-issue-or-condition
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 http://www.allalliedhealthschools.com/health-careers/article/certified-nursing-assistant-overview/
  11. ↑ https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html
  12. ↑ http://www.hcrr.wa.gov/Providers2010/prov_main.htm
  13. ↑ http://www.nahcagencylocator.com/
  14. ↑ https://www.dshs.wa.gov/altsa/home-and-community-services/becoming-paid-caregiver
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/the-best-life/2011/07/18/10-tips-for-caring-for-aging-parents
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 https://www.caregiver.org/personal-care-agreements
  17. ↑ https://www.longtermcarelink.net/eldercare/elder_mediation.htm
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/youre-sharing-care-aging-parents/
  19. ↑ http://www.aoa.acl.gov/AoA_Programs/HCLTC/Caregiver/
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