Many people have a need for caregivers from the elderly to the il to the mentally disabled. Caregivers, also known as companions, home care aides or personal attendants provide a number of services to their clients and in doing so they help to make day-to-day life easier for their client and their client's family. A caregiver job can require all types of work and skills from physical labor to the ability to think on the spot. It requires hard work, but is very rewarding.
Job Responsibilities
When working with the mentally disabled, caregivers will be performing a number of duties on a day-to-day basis. These duties include planning and preparing meals, helping clients get dressed and accomplish simple personal hygiene tasks, taking clients to the grocery store, on errands and to the doctor, helping their client clean the house and perform household chores and more.
Work Environment
The work environment depends greatly on the caregiver's client. They may be working for individuals in their homes which can be clean and orderly, or messy and in need of repair. They can also work through an agency in which they travel to nursing homes and group homes to provide assistance to their mentally disabled clients.
The type of client will also vary for a caregiver. CollegeGrad.com says that typically caregivers have more than one client that they see on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. These clients can be mildly to severely mentally disabled and their needs and level of cooperation will vary greatly depending on their diagnosis.
Education
According to CollegeGrad.com, the education required to be a caregiver for the mentally disabled varies from state to state. Where some states require a degree from a community college or a vocational school, other states require only on-the-job training.
Whether or not there are educational requirements, many employers will require and sometimes even provide training in emergency medical care such as CPR.
Skill Requirements
While educational requirements vary, there is a certain skill set that is needed to be a caregiver for the mentally disabled. Caregivers must be compassionate, positive, caring and nurturing. They must also possess some physical strength because some job responsibilities such as bathing may require some heavy lifting. Caregivers must also have the ability to keep important information completely confidential.
Other Considerations
A caregiver job for the mentally disabled can be a very rewarding career choice. The job enables people to live better lives in a better environment than what they would be able to provide for themselves.
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