What Do Caregivers at a Nursing Home Do?

What Do Caregivers at a Nursing Home Do? – Caregivers serve as an essential part of any senior living home. They take responsibility for the health and well-being of those at the home.

The roles of elderly home care include helping them with any of their daily tasks or activities. Some elderly may need more care than others depending on their health or existing medical conditions. Caregivers often choose this job as it provides an emotionally rewarding experience.

Helping with Daily Needs

Working to care for the elderly includes assisting them with any daily tasks. This may include eating, bathing, using the bathroom, and more. Caregivers should also expect to help drive their patients to any appointments.

Tending to the elderly’s basic needs usually includes assisting with tasks that appear easy to others, but challenge older adults.

Provide Friendship

As the elderly grow older, their loved ones grow as well and may move away. Being separated from the rest of society can cause seniors to feel isolated and left out. Caregivers should not underestimate the importance of a simple conversation.

For some elderly, interacting with their caregiver may be their only form of human interaction. Science has shown multiple times that lack of companionship can lead to depression, especially in older adults.

Assist with Cleaning

Some elderly struggle with keeping their space clean, particularly if their health hinders their mobility. Those caring for older adults should help their patients maintain a tidy living area.

This may include assisting with dishes, vacuuming, and taking out the trash. Having a clean room also will lift the elderly’s spirits up, rather than being surrounded by filth and garbage.

Personalize a Care Plan

Every elder is unique and deserves specialized care for their needs. Caregivers should be aware of any medical conditions or difficulties their patient has. Monitoring and keeping track of patients’ health will allow caregivers to determine how much care they should provide.

For example, one patient may have ALS and need assistance in eating their meals. Another may have vision problems and require help walking to the bathroom.

Keep Track of Medical Needs

As elders grow older, their list of medical conditions may grow as well. Caregivers need to be aware of their patient’s current health and medical conditions. This way they can be more adapt to recognizing any new symptoms.

Caregivers also should recognize the importance of assessing pain levels. If pain worsens, they may need to call a doctor. Assisting with medical needs includes having regular conversations with their patient’s doctor or any other health professional.

Caregivers keep track of medications, medical conditions, and other at-home treatments.

Provide Transportation

No one likes to stay cooped up in their house all day, and the same goes for the elderly. Caregivers may need to provide regular transportation to their patients.

This includes driving them to medical appointments, grocery stores, or sometimes even to the park to get outside time. Even the public transportation system may be difficult for certain patients.

If caregivers’ jobs do not include driving their patients personally, caregivers should still expect to arrange senior transportation alternatives.

Cook Meals

What Do Caregivers at a Nursing Home Do? – If patients have any mobility issues, caregivers should definitely expect to cook for them. Even if the elders don’t have any mobility issues, living alone may cause them to lack the motivation to cook.

Caregivers should also cook for those with mental or memory issues, as it may be unsafe for them to cook. Caregivers should take responsibility for buying groceries, preparing meals, or finding another alternative.

If caregivers grocery shop for their patients, they should prioritize finding healthy ingredients so their patient receives proper nutrition.

Help with Mobility

The risk of falling increases as people grow older. For the elderly, the initial fall causes damage to their weak joints. Not only this, but they may be unable to get back up. Even if patients seem able and healthy to walk, caregivers should still monitor them.

Walking short distances like from the bed to the couch can still be dangerous.

Adjusting Care Plan When Necessary

What Do Caregivers at a Nursing Home Do? – Caregivers should regularly assess their personalized care plans for their patients. By doing this, they can evaluate what works and what they should change.

For example, if a patient’s ALS progresses, they may need assistance with tasks they previously could perform on their own.