Monday, February 20, 2012

How to Choose the Right Caregiver for Your Loved One (Part I)

How to Choose the Right Caregiver for Your Loved One (Part I)


 When planning to hire a caregiver for your senior loved one, it’s important to know the different types of caregivers and select the one that’s right for him. Caregivers vary, ranging from personal care providers to licensed nurses and their duties and costs also differ greatly. Deciding on the type of caregiver your senior needs is important for his safety and for your own peace of mind.
There are mainly four types of caregivers, and these are the companion, the personal care attendant, the health aid, and the licensed nurse.
  1. The Companion. The companion caregiver provides assistance with daily household duties. They may run errands, do the shopping, help in transporting your loved one to medical appointments, do the laundry, cook meals, and provide help with some light housekeeping. Because these caregiving services require minimal training or certification, they also cost less than other types of services. A companion caregiver is ideal for seniors who are still able to perform their own personal needs such as bathing, grooming, dressing, and taking their medications.
  2. The Personal Care Attendant. This type of caregiver provides assistance with the activities of daily living or ADL’s such as walking, bathing, toileting, dressing and grooming, shopping, meal preparation, and performing household tasks. You know that you need this type of caregiver when you can’t provide the assistance with these ADL’s that your senior loved one needs. Because performing these responsibilities require more training than those of a companion, you should prepare to pay more for this type of services.
  3. The Health Aid. This type of caregiver is ideal for those who not only need assistance with their ADL’s but are also in need of some health supervision. These caregivers, who are either certified nursing assistants or home health aids, are trained to take vital signs, perform non-sterile wound care, do a range of motion exercises and proper positioning and turning of people in bed.
The Licensed Nurse. Aside from being qualified to perform all the duties mentioned above, a licensed nurse can also administer medications, perform sterile wound care, monitor vital signs, and supervise oxygen use. If your loved one needs an extensive medical care, a nurse could be the right caregiver for him.

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