Make Money as a Paid Care Giver
By Lynn P., 22nd Feb 2012 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutJobsCareers
The Baby Boomers are entering their senior years. This is a great opportunity for those who enjoy care giving to consider becoming a personal care giver. There are several things to keep in mind when starting your own business as a care giver, but the requirements are few. If you enjoy caring for others, are honest and compassionate, then starting to care for others in their home might be a good job for you.
What is a Care Giver?
A care giver is either male or female. They can be of any age, any background and with varied life experiences. A care giver should have good judgement, good insight into needs and truly care about the comfort and feelings of others.
Some care givers work for care giving agencies who employ them and place them in homes to look after elderly or disabled individuals. Sometimes people need a little help, and a care giver can not only provide that help, but can become a great companion to the person who needs the care.
In most states, a license is not required to be a care giver. There is training available to become a CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) or HHA (Home Health Aide), which will enhance anyone's chances of finding a wonderful position in the care giving field. However, it is not necessary for becoming a care giving companion. Another term for being a care giver is "companion", and this indicates that there is no personal care involved, such as bathing.
The tasks involved when becoming a care giver are varied. As a companion, it may be required that the companion know how to fix meals, clean a house, do laundry, shop for groceries, transport the employer, or help pay bills. The needs for each person is different.
In starting work as a companion or care giver, it might help to talk to other care givers who already work in the field. Agencies that employ care givers can assist in training and job placement. In return, these agencies require that salary is split two ways, between the employee and the agency. Many people register themselves with several agencies. A potential care giver will be required to get a background check for security purposes, and may also be required to have a physical examination and possibly immunization for flu. State requirements vary, so it is helpful to interview with an in-home care agency to get more information, and determine whether working for an agency is something that would be desirable, or whether an individual would rather work for themselves.
A dependable care giver can quickly develop an excellent reputation in a retirement community. Word spreads quickly, and if a companion/caregiver starts work for one person a few hours a week, a neighbor in that same community may call and say she was referred by the person already being cared for. This person tells someone else in the community, and pretty soon, there are not enough hours in the day or week to care for everyone who needs it.
How much a care giver charges is up to the care giver. It pays to call a couple of ads in the paper to see what they are charging, and make a determination for an acceptable amount per hour. Make sure that fees are comparable to agency fees, or lower, as the lower fees will be hired more quickly.
Placing ads in the paper in local communities is a great way to make oneself known in the care giving field. Usually, small, local papers do not charge much for placing ads, so for people who are low on funds, it is manageable to keep an ad running until enough work is obtained.
There is great responsibility that comes with care giving. One of the most important responsibilities is dependability. It is imperative that once a job is accepted, that the care giver arrives on time each time they say they will, and stays for the entire time they are needed or as previously arranged. Care givers who do not show up when scheduled or have promised, quickly lose their reputation, and this can leave the person who is being cared for in a very difficult and risky situation. It pays to have backup arrangements in the event the care giver cannot go that day to care for someone. Care givers get sick just the same as anyone else. So, having one or two people who are also care givers as backup is an excellent idea. Backup caregivers can also be an agency that agrees to fill in should a caregiver not be available.
Caregivers do not have to have a car, but it helps. It allows for accepting jobs in out-of-the way areas that are not on a bus route. Some people also require a care giver to have a car, as taking them to the doctor, shopping, or other appointments may be necessary. It pays to make it clear to potential employers whether a car will be available for transporting should it become necessary.
There are many more areas to be discussed if one is interested in becoming a care giver, but this is simply an overview of the companion/caregiver field.
Comments
23rd Feb 2012 (#)
good message embedded.
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25th Feb 2012 (#)
And there is a need for caring and ethical care givers too. We have a son with special needs and went through quite a few until we found a caregiver that we could trust and didn't sit and watch tv while we were gone.
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