Baby boomers as potential
caregivers for elderly seniors: Helping hands
There is always a shortage of
helping hands, when it comes to taking care of elderly seniors. Every pair of helping hands is needed. Your helping hands could meet a legitimate need, somewhere. Are you are a baby
boomer, who is willing and able to become a caregiver for an elderly senior,
but you do not know where or how to start? Many baby boomers are capable of
becoming caregivers, although they are semi-retired or unable to work at
their previous jobs, for various reasons.
Consider the following
suggestions:
Start seeing yourself as a
potential caregiver and find an elderly senior, who you think may be in need of
care. Perhaps you know a family member, neighbor or an acquaintance, who is an
elderly senior. He or she needs care and would benefit from your help.
Take the time to get to know him or her and offer assistance, on a regular
basis. If this does not work out as employment, you may find that
you have a good friend. You will have obtained valuable experience with respect
to the care of elderly seniors.
Spend time doing research on
the Internet with regard to caring for elderly seniors. There are many things
about care giving that you will not be aware of, if you have never had experience
in caring for elderly seniors. Learn what is involved. For example, find out
what seniors need, expect and want from caregivers and how these needs can and
should be met.
What you will learn is that
what elderly seniors want most is to have someone to love and someone who loves
them. Find out about the different kinds of problems you might encounter when attempting to care for elderly seniors. Do research into safety issues or
concerns that pertain to elderly seniors, individually and collectively. Know
what to expect from those who have health problems of different kinds. Look
into dietary management for elderly seniors. Research will help you to decide
if being a caregiver for elderly seniors is a realistic occupation for you to
pursue, at this time in your life.
Inquire about different
agencies in your area, that may be looking for caregivers for elderly seniors. Ask
yourself if you would be willing and able to meet a potential client or patient
in need of care, if someone was to find an elderly senior for you to look
after.There are numerous agencies that employ caregivers on various levels.
Some of them are looking for professional caregivers, like registered nurses or
they may prefer to hire non-professional caregivers and personal support
workers. Some agencies may be interested in training caregivers. Others
are looking for people, who care about others and are willing to volunteer time and effort to assist with the the care of elderly seniors.
Decide how much time you would
be willing to work as a caregiver, for an elderly senior. You may want to work
full time, but that may not be possible, at this time in your life. Have a
physical first and discuss your possible return to work as a caregiver for
elderly seniors, with your physician. He or she may be able to help you to
decide how many hours a week you could or should work. Remember that you may
want to engage in other activities, as well.
Take a course on how
to administer quality care to an elderly senior. There are numerous courses at
universities or colleges available for potential caregivers. Obtain a calendar that lists their courses and course outlines, so you know what to expect. For instance, you may be able to take a course on foot
care or massage therapy, which would be of benefit to elderly seniors.
Find local community programs
that focus on care giving for elderly seniors. There are numerous community
programs offered for different kinds of caregivers, so check local newspapers.
Watch for flyers related to care giving for seniors. You could become a regular
driver for patients in need of transportation for doctor's appointments. Maybe
you could deliver meals to elderly seniors.
Contact local hospitals or
agencies, regarding their current needs for caregivers for elderly seniors. Most
local hospitals and nursing homes, need more caregivers
than they have, particularly at different times, during the day or in the
evening. Assist with feeding patients in a local hospital or nursing home, at
lunchtime or dinnertime. Patients love to go for walks. Maybe there is an
elderly senior, who does not have any family or friends. You might enjoy
talking to him or her, for an hour or so a day.
Do you need income from
employment? Sometimes, care giving becomes a time-versus-money situation. Maybe
you have lots of money, but not much time or vice versa. You may need immediate
income, because of forced layoff or early retirement. When you are seeking
employment, determine how much actual income you need or want.
Find a program that will pay
you to train. There are academic programs provide income in the form
of student loans. These programs can help to supplement your income, while you
train to become a qualified caregiver for elderly seniors. Enroll in a program
until you find employment. You may obtain placement with a specific agency,
while you are involved in a training programs. Obtaining certification as a
caregiver could help you to get future employment. You might prefer to take
courses pertaining to elderly seniors, on an interest level.
Offer to volunteer for
organizations that provide care for elderly seniors. You could volunteer for various organizations, if additional income is not your primary
concern. Volunteer work as a caregiver, in a hospital or nursing home setting,
could be a rewarding experience. It will give you contact with people,
who may refer you for future employment. Volunteers often receive certificates
for the work they do.
Give high quality to care to a
person in your own family or community. Once you have found someone who is in
need of care in your own home or community, administering a high quality of
care to them, at all times, will enable others to see that you are a truly
caring, caregiver. Baby boomers, who offer quality care to elderly seniors will
always be in demand.
Think seriously about what is
important to you, in terms of care giving. How would you like to be cared for
personally, if you were in need of care? Talk to elderly seniors and see what
they think about their care and their current caregivers. You may be surprised.
Many elderly seniors come to love their caring caregivers.
Baby boomers usually relate well to
elderly seniors. They have the distinct advantage of being old enough to
understand the concerns of the elderly seniors of today. They relate well to
them, because seniors are the age of their own parents. Many of those in the
younger generation will not be able to relate to them, in the same way. You
might be someone who could read or write letters for elderly seniors.
Perhaps you could do other things for them, like assisting them with their personal
shopping. Maybe help them with their daily exercises or take them on different kinds of outings, now and then.
Of course, there are different
levels of care giving, all the way from professional care by registered nurses,
to other levels of care. What interests you might depend upon your background
and experience. There are numerous options for employment, even for baby
boomers unable to do heavy lifting. Sometimes, just sitting with elderly
patients is needed.
Compile a resume as a caring
caregiver. Make a summary of all of the care giving experiences you have
acquired and prepare your resume. Employment agencies will assist you in that
regard. When you have your resume ready, apply for specific jobs. You may be
asked to e-mail your resume to potential employers, so make certain that you
retain a copy of it on your computer.
Place applications for
employment as a caregiver for elderly seniors, wherever you think you may be
able to work. Specify the kind of work you prefer. Take a copy of your
resume with you, whenever you are called for job interviews.
Do not fret if you are rejected
by any agencies, hospitals or organizations. Keep on applying and you will find
employment. Continue to expand your caregiver horizon by learning new skills.
You could set up a self-employment program to assist elderly seniors and this
may provide future employment for others, too.
As a baby boomer, consider all
of your possible options and know that every extra pair of helping hands is
important, when it comes to caring for elderly seniors.
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