If you experience solace and bliss in taking care of others, then a career in caregiving could be for you. Though intense, caregiving can be fulfilling. From administering medical duties to taking care of a patient’s personal hygiene, caregivers accomplish a variety of tasks. A caregiver can improve the quality of life of a patient.
If you have not considered caregiving as a career, then here are some reasons why it could be life-changing.
1. A Purposeful Career
When you choose a career in caregiving, you experience an innate sense of fulfillment. This feeling comes from knowing that you can make a difference in someone’s life. You will be helping your client get more from their lives despite their physical or mental condition.
Successful caregivers are driven by the sense of motivation and hope they bring to their patients’ lives. Appreciation from family members and gratitude of patients nourish your soul and keep you going.
2. Rising Demand
Demand for caregivers is expected to increase, with employment estimated to reach 25% from 2021 to 2031. This increase is faster than that seen in other occupations, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
An increase in the senior population is a key reason for the expected increase in the demand for caregivers. The retirement of existing caregivers and evolving lifestyle preferences of patients are expected to keep the demand for caregivers high.
3. Flexibility of Work
As a caregiver, you can work part-time or full-time, depending on your commitments. Whether you are a working mother or a student aiming for specialization in caregiving, you can adjust your work to achieve your goals. There is also a great work-life balance that few occupations offer.
4. Diversity of Work
As a caregiver, the range of work you get to perform is varied and interesting. Some typical tasks you may need to perform include the following:
- Help clients accomplish their basic grooming needs, such as bathing and dressing.
- Perform housekeeping tasks such as laundry and dishwashing.
- Ensure the patient’s dietary adherence through appropriate meal planning and cooking.
- Maintain accurate schedules of the patient’s doctor visits and ensure appointments accordingly.
- Accompany patients on doctor visits or errands.
- Help clients keep their social networks active.
- Offer companionship and emotional support to patients.
Caregivers may also be expected to extend medical duties:
- Administer prescribed medication
- Monitor the patient’s vital signs
- Record and monitor the patient’s temperature and respiratory rate when needed
- Change wound dressings regularly
- Help patients perform prescribed exercises
- Use and monitor equipment such as ventilators
- Assist patients with the use of medical devices such as artificial limbs
- Monitor patient’s health conditions and prepare reports for supervisors
Some specialized caregivers that work with patients with behavioral or growth challenges assist them in becoming more independent. They help patients learn self-care skills and adjust their responses to their surroundings.
5. Facilitates Skill Development
Caregivers face the need to develop specific skills to deliver quality patient care. As a caregiver, you may work with patients at their homes or in facilities offering assistive care. You may work with a single patient or multiple patients, depending on the nature of your job.
As a caregiver, you have to work with a range of patients, from those with serious injuries and impairments to people with chronic health issues. The work setting can quickly become overwhelming if you do not develop specific skills.
Successful caregivers equip themselves with the following skills for efficiency at work:
- Attention to Detail– Caregiving is a critical job. Lack of attention to factors such as diet or patient mobility can result in emergencies. These include slip-and-fall accidents or out-of-control vital signs. As a caregiver, one must develop keen attention to detail and work in adherence to protocols.
- Being Organized – Excellent organizational skills are important to ensure timely medications, accurate doctor schedules, and maintenance of accurate patient records. Being organized is also important to maintain your professional reputation. Consider starting your career as a caregiver in North Carolina. The state is known for its historical roots, wildlife, and landforms. The need for direct care workers is more here. Demand for caregivers in North Carolina is expected to rise in the immediate decade. Successful caregivers ensure their safety as well as the safety of their patients. Securing insurance for protection from lawsuits. If you are in North Carolina, then North Carolina health care insurance gives financial security and protection against expensive liabilities. Know more here.
- Time Management– Caregivers must be able to identify key tasks and prioritize them to ensure patient health. Caregiving can turn hectic when there are multiple patients. Knowledge of care protocols, excellent task scheduling, and a sense to discern are key to efficient time management.
- Decisiveness – Caregiversmust be able to make well-informed decisions, especially during complex medical situations. A caregiver must be able to use their knowledge of the patient’s health, medical expertise, and integrity to make decisions quickly.
- Communication– As a caregiver, you have to communicate with your patients, sometimes in stern tones and sometimes gently, to make your message clear. You have to discuss treatment plans and seek cooperation from family members. You also have to demonstrate your efficiency and explain patient progress to supervisors. These tasks demand excellent communication, verbal and written.
6. Develops Admirable People Skills
Caregiving builds qualities of compassion, patience, and active listening. As a caregiver, you have to deal with demanding patients, difficult family members, and stressful medical conditions daily. Such encounters can leave you physically and emotionally exhausted. Extraordinary self-control and patience are key to winning your daily battles.
A rude word or an angry glare can ruin relationships and delay treatment or recovery. Compassion and active listening are essential to understand patients’ mental states and the distress of their loved ones. These qualities develop trust in patients and family members for the caregiver. They will be more willing to rely on such caregivers.
7. Offers Career Advancement Opportunities
Caregiving is not only fulfilling but also a progressive career. As you develop your interpersonal and technical skills, you can aim for advancement opportunities. You can also expect pay commensurate with your skills and experience.
8. Enables Skill Specialization
As you get exposed to caregiving and gain experience on the job, your skills develop. You can introspect about the aspects you love about caregiving. This introspection enables you to choose to specialize in specific caregiving segments. For example, you can specialize in pediatric or adult caregiving.
You can branch out to specialize in peripheral domains of caregiving, such as a caregiving trainer or mentor, caregiving scheduling, and so on.
9. Instills Discipline for Physical Fitness
As a caregiver, your duties may include assisting patients with their mobility needs, such as sitting, standing, and walking. You may also have to help them get into bed and out. Some patients may exhibit violent behaviors. Whether it is controlling physical aggression in your patients or helping them become more agile, being physically fit yourself is a must.
10. Develops an Ability to Appreciate Life
As a caregiver, you witness suffering, pain, distress, and grief daily. While such encounters can be exhausting, they also cultivate gratitude for life. You learn to appreciate simpler things in life and recognize things that matter most. You learn to be happy in the moment, which leads to a fulfilling life.
Conclusion
If you are looking for a career that rewards you with the best growth opportunities, earnings, and purpose, then caregiving is it. The profession is not without challenges, but if caring for others comes naturally to you, then the rewards outweigh the challenges.
