From new protocols for doctor visits to limited visitation hours and increased health risks, seniors are facing a lot of unprecedented challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. With family members less able to travel and help with daily tasks, many families are turning to professional in-home care as the safest and most reliable option.
Here are some tips for hiring a professional to provide in-home care to the senior in your life during the pandemic.
Choose the Right Type of Caregiver for the Senior’s Needs
There are generally two types of in-home care: home health care and home personal care. Home health care is a type of specialized medical care that is administered by a nurse, therapist, or other medical professional. Home personal care is non-medical care that involves helping a person with grooming, dressing, bathing, cooking, shopping, housekeeping, and companionship. Talk to the senior’s doctor to determine which type of care is the best choice.
Choose a Caregiver Who Takes Hygiene Seriously
Hygiene is always important for seniors due to the increased likelihood of getting sick with age, but it’s even more crucial during the pandemic. When looking to hire in-home care, ask candidates about their familiarity with COVID-safe hygiene practices, such as proper handwashing and keeping an eye out for the symptoms of COVID-19.
Choose a Caregiver Who Can Cook Well
As an alternative to dining out at restaurants, it is beneficial to have an in-home care professional who can prepare and serve delicious meals. Caregivers should have a basic understanding of the nutrition that seniors need to be healthy and stay resilient against viruses and bacteria. Having a caregiver who can cook well will also make it less temping for seniors to put themselves at risk to go out to eat in public.
Choose a Caregiver Who Can Clean Thoroughly
Although in-home caregivers are not housekeepers by profession, they can help with light housekeeping and laundering tasks for the seniors they care for. In addition to these basic tasks, now is a great time to hire a caregiver who knows how to properly disinfect and sanitize surfaces that the senior regularly comes into contact with. Having a caregiver who keeps up with cleaning tasks is a good way to help protect the senior your love from germs and infections during the pandemic.
Choose a Caregiver Who Provides Social Enrichment
Pandemic times are lonely times, especially for seniors with underlying health conditions that make them weary to leave the house or visit friends or family members. One of the most important jobs of an in-home caregiver is to provide emotional and social support to prevent feelings of isolation and depression. When interviewing caregiver candidates, look for ones who know how to keep seniors mentally stimulated with games and activities and who also have good communication skills to have refreshing conversations with your loved one throughout the day.
Choose a Caregiver Who You Can Trust
Trust is always a key component of hiring a caregiver to assist your loved one, but trust is even more important during the pandemic. It is important to be able to trust caregivers to be honest when they say where they’ve traveled to and who they’ve been in contact with. You also need to be able to trust caregivers that they really are taking hygiene, cleaning, social distancing, and mask wearing seriously to ensure that your loved one is in the most caring and capable hands possible.
When you work through Household Staffing International, you can trust that every in-home care candidate that we introduce you to has been thoroughly vetted and has the necessary experience and qualifications for the job. Don’t wait another day to make sure your loved one is taken care of at home during the pandemic – contact us today.