Caregiver Initiative

One of my roles in my 30+ years as owner of Christel’s Home Care is to find  the best caregiver possible for my clients.  I have screened hundreds, perhaps thousands of applicants.  Because my focus is providing quality caregivers, I use the top 10-20% of those I meet, the “cream of the crop”.
 
Everyone is looking for someone kind, caring, and competent. Let us look beyond the obvious.
In my first blog, I’d like to begin sharing the criteria I use when deciding where to place the caregivers who make it into my pool.   This month I will be briefly discussing the scale of “takes charge” vs. “takes orders”.
 
After doing a thorough assessment including a visit to the home or facility where the client is currently staying, I look at how they and their family would be best served.  For example, if there are responsible family members involved, they may want to provide a list of duties they want the caregiver to complete.  In this case, a caregiver who takes direction well might be placed.  On the other hand, if the situation is a dementia patient who has no one nearby, it might be best to put a very “take charge” caregiver with them, someone who can take the initiative.  On the “caregivers” button, this would be a level 3 “house manager”.  It takes placing each caregiver a few times and seeing how they react to determine where they fit on the various scales I use.
 
The ideal caregiver would be able to adjust to both of the above situations and everywhere in between.  But caregivers bring their unique personalities and gifts to the job, and not everyone is that flexible.  We all have our strengths and weaknesses. I try to place the caregiver where their skills best match the situation.
 
This is just one of many caregiver qualities I look for when making a compatible match.
Next month, I will discuss another caregiver quality that factors into how they can best serve.
 
Comments and questions always welcome.
Thanks for reading
Chris