Inviting someone into your home to serve as a caregiver for a family member can be a rewarding decision that brings new peace of mind, but it is not without challenges.
Building a solid and respectful relationship between everyone can take time.
At Blue Water Homecare, we strive to help ease these transitions when our caregivers begin their work with you. We specialize in non-medical home care services for seniors, including those living with dementia and Parkinson’s Disease.
Here are some best practices our team of home care experts recommend to help facilitate a strong relationship with your caregiver.
How to Build a Relationship with Your At-Home Caregiver
- Define clear expectations.
Before hiring a caregiver, have a clear and concise idea of what you need help with. Is their job solely going to be caring for your loved one who needs assistance, or will you be asking them to help with errands and housework too? Establish these expectations prior to their first day, and check-in with them regularly as you may need to adjust tasks.
- Give them the lowdown on your loved one.
No detail is too small to share as you enlist the help of a new caregiver to look after your loved one. Make them aware of preferences in terms of food and clothing choices, hygiene habits, and favorite activities, like taking walks, watching television, or playing games. The more information your caregiver has to make your loved one feel safe and comfortable, the smoother it will be for everyone.
- Share personal stories.
Beyond arming your caregiver with the essentials about daily schedules, household chores, and what your loved one’s specific needs are, be sure to share some personal anecdotal information with them. What was your loved one’s profession before they retired, do they have grandkids, or a special hobby they devoted a large chunk of their life to? Did they live abroad or serve in the military? This can equip your caregiver with important nuggets with which to start conversations or inspire some activities that may help bring joy to your loved one’s days.
Likewise, don’t forget to ask your caregiver about themselves also, as getting to know each other is a two-way street. They may have children, pets, or special activities outside of their work that they are proud of and eager to share.
- Develop trust.
This can be one of the more challenging things to accomplish in a caregiver/client relationship. They will be in your home on a regular basis and looking after your loved one often in a very personal manner if helping with essential daily tasks like bathing and dressing. Remind them that their caregiver is here to help and let them know ahead of time exactly what to expect so there are no surprises, this is especially important for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients.
Set ground rules early on for things like privacy (does your loved one prefer keeping doors completely shut or just cracked for hygiene care), and will the caregiver be tasked with taking them outside of the house for errands or appointments. You need to trust that your loved one will be safe at all times.
- Communicate.
This is perhaps the most important key to a positive and productive relationship with your caregiver. Make sure they know how to contact you, or other close family members, at any time for an emergency. Equally as important is that they update you frequently on a loved one’s physical and mental health. If there is any sudden change in their capabilities or demeanor, you need to know and be able to work towards any actions or solutions on behalf of your loved one together.
We are here to help match you with the best caregiver suited to your loved one and their unique environment, whether at home or in a facility.
Blue Water Homecare offers a variety of services to support you, including general At Home Care, Dementia Care, and our Parkinson’s Program. We also provide Hospice Care when your loved one has reached their end of life journey.
Contact us today to learn about how we can help you.