• By Daniel Smith
• Published 04/25/2012

If you have an elderly member in your family, it is easier to understand the amount of care they need. Whether the task is something as simple as giving an elderly individual some company or as complex as taking care of an Alzheimer patient, a caregiver may have to handle it all.

Care of the older person in a safe and effective manner requires three elements – the availability of the right people, the use of the right process, and the utilisation of the right place. Which characteristics are required with regard to these elements? Here is a look at the important points.

The caregivers need to be:

Competent – Apart from the knowledge and skills necessary for elder care, the caregiver also needs to have the right attitude. You may be able to enrol in a care course and learn the basics; however, without the right attitude, this would be of no use.

Confident – Safeguarding the older individuals requires self-confidence. Whether it is about challenging the poor condition of an elder care facility or the behaviour of an individual, you need to be assertive in your manner.

Careful – Taking care of an elderly individual requires you to be reliable and trustworthy. Only when the elderly individual trusts you would he/she feel comfortable and secure in your company.

Compassionate – A caring and empathetic nature is essential if you were considering a career as a caregiver. Only when you truly care about enhancing the quality of life an elderly individual leads would you be able to handle the responsibilities.

The process needs to deliver:

Assessment of needs – is necessary to ensure that you understand the care responsibilities you need to handle. Most of the care services for the elderly provide professional help for this assessment.

Ease of communication – involves both talking with and listening to the elderly individual and understand him/her. Expressing their feelings and emotions help these individuals to avoid depression.

Create respectful environment – to ensure that you do not intrude their privacy or hurt their dignity in any way. Again, your attitude matters most when it comes to fostering a relation of mutual respect.

The places need to be:

Appropriate – Whether you are providing care at the home of the elderly individual or at a health care facility, you need to ensure that the place is suitable for the purpose. Home modifications may be necessary for this.

Administered – Proper management of the place where the elderly individual lives is a primary concern of the caregiver. You may have to handle light household chores as part of your responsibilities as a carer.

Adequate – You need to make sure that the house or facility where the elderly individual stays is adequately resourced. Part time courses focusing on elderly care may be able to help you understand the requirements of an elderly individual.

The aforementioned fundamentals ensure that an elderly individual receives the care and companionship he/she requires. It is necessary to keep these points in mind when you are considering a career in the field of care giving. This would also help you understand the path you need to take to succeed in this field.

Author Bio

Daniel Smith has long been associated with an institute providing carer training courses. He provides tips and suggestions for individuals looking for a career in elderly care services. If you were looking for more details on courses like Human Growth and Development, Introduction to Nursing or Anatomy and Physiology, he suggests you to visit http://www.comfortkeeperstraining.ie/.