The Perks of Being an At-Home Caregiver for Seniors

The Perks of Being an At-Home Caregiver for Seniors: The decision to become an in-home caregiver is an important one. Maybe you’re starting out in your career, looking for a career change. On the other hand, maybe you’re looking to take care of an aging loved one.

Regardless of your motivation, caring for seniors at home can be a great career choice. A recent survey found that 83% of caregivers reported that it was a positive experience. There are many reasons for this; from satisfaction that they are providing quality care to a loved one to modeling caring behavior for their own children.

Being a Caregiver for Seniors is Rewarding Work

Many caregivers report that the thing they like most about their work is; the connections with seniors who live at home. Most importantly, the sense of accomplishment they feel from their efforts to help seniors live independently. Because social interaction and companionship is one of the most important services a caregiver provides, caregivers often build meaningful relationships with the older adults they care for. That’s why some caregivers who started out taking care of their own relatives continue as caregivers. Even after their loved ones are no longer in their care.

Providing At-Home Care for Your Elderly Parents or Family Members

As mentioned above, many caregivers start out by taking care of their own family members, usually their parents or grandparents. Most do so not as a job, but just to be there for their elderly relatives. Then they realize they can become paid professional caregivers and decide to take on more responsibilities. And caregivers providing care for their parents or elderly relatives often report that; they feel closer to their relatives when they are taking care of them. Some say that they “would be doing a lot of this stuff anyway” for their parents, and by becoming a paid family caregiver, they are able to reduce the stress of juggling a full-time job with the full-time job of caring for their loved ones.

And in families with multiple siblings, having one person in charge of their parents’ care provides peace of mind and reduces potential family conflicts.

Not all Families are the Same, Not All Caregivers are the Same

It’s possible you don’t have the warmest feelings toward your elderly family members or parents. Not everyone has a great relationship with their parents as adults, and there may be feelings of resentment over things that happened long ago. Many people in this situation who nonetheless find themselves taking care of elderly loved ones report being able to resolve negative feelings about their family members as a result of their work as in-home caregivers.

In-Home Caregivers Enjoy Flexibility

Whether you’re a student taking classes at different times of the day and evening. Or a parent juggling kids and caregiving duties, flexibility is the key. As an at-home care aide, you’ll have the scheduling certainty many people lack along with the flexibility to have someone substitute for you when needed, or the ability to do some extra shifts to provide respite care for other caregivers. Your home care agency should provide this kind of flexibility.

Caregiving Can Be the First Step Toward a Great Career

Many younger at-home caregivers say they learned valuable skills as an elderly in-home caregiver. Being in charge when the person you’re in charge of is older than you (and maybe your parent!) can be intimidating, but it’s a skill that will serve caregivers well in any career.

More commonly, just needing to be organized and efficient enough to do the job in the time you have to do it is something many caregivers learn on the job. And what better way for someone who has thought about a career in nursing (or really any career that involves caring for others) to get started than being an at-home caregiver for the elderly?

Home Care Powered by AUAF Is Your Home Care Agency of Choice

At Home Care Powered by AUAF, we deliver all the perks of being an at-home caregiver, plus competitive pay and paid training. Our caregivers are the heart and soul of our services, and we know how important the work they do is.

We appreciate all of our caregivers, and we know we can’t do it without them. Ready to join us as a paid at-home caregiver? Give us a call at 773-274-9262 or contact us to get started.