Creator: Bishwajeet Singh
Published: 2023-03-17T18:06:00Z

People may need assistance with their daily activities and personal care as they age, especially if the elder has health concerns; this is where senior caregivers come in. Essentially, the role of caregivers is to provide support and care to seniors. With their help, they can help improve the quality of life of seniors while allowing them a sense of independence. But apart from daily assistance, there are more things a senior caregiver should provide.A senior caregiver can be a family member or someone with proven job experience and good first-aid knowledge. And depending on the level of support the elder needs, working with a caregiver with training for assisted living facilities can be ideal. To help you understand their responsibilities, below are the primary duties of a senior caregiver:

Help With The Elder's Basic Needs

Seniors might find their usual activities harder to do. For example, eating a meal may be difficult, and dressing up or brushing one's teeth can be frustrating. And in some cases, moving around can be a challenge due to muscle weakness or joint problems. A senior caregiver can assist in completing those basic needs. They can help make daily living activities for seniors more comfortable and convenient. Depending on the level of assistance needed, senior caregivers can be as hands-on in caring for the elder. For example, if they're recovering from health concerns or mobility issues, a caregiver can help watch over them and ensure all their needs are met. They can provide physical support to ensure their safety. On the other hand, if the elder doesn't need much assistance, a senior caregiver can check in occasionally and ask if they need help.

Prepare The Patient's Medications

As seniors age, they are expected to have memory issues and be forgetful. And with their many medications, missing out on their prescription can be common. In this case, a senior caregiver's role is to ensure the elder takes their medications at the right time and dosage. This helps avoid overdosing or missing meds, which can risk their health. And to help them be more efficient in this task, senior caregivers can create a checklist for the medicines and categorize them according to the schedule of when the elders should take them. They can also share this document with the elder and their families to prevent medication mix-ups and ensure the seniors take their medications properly.

Create And Assess Care Plan

In line with the previous point, part of the responsibilities of a senior caregiver is to prepare the care plan for the patient. It's a document summarizing all the patient's medical and care needs. It also includes the medications, the kind of support they need, and hours of help for the day. However, a senior's care plan doesn't end with its creation. Ideally, the caregiver should continuously review and update the plan. After all, over time, the elder may need additional or less support. So, it's best if the caregiver and the patient's family continuously update the care plan to match the senior's needs and ensure their well-being and comfort.

Offer Companionship

As senior ages, having company is essential in improving their mental health and overall well-being. Having someone to talk to can help keep them happy, socially active, and entertained. And while senior caregivers generally attend to the elder needs, keeping them company is also part of their role. Senior caregivers can engage their patients in conversations and spend quality time with them. For instance, they can chat over tea, share stories, and play board games, to name a few. These social gestures can keep them engaged and help keep them away from loneliness and depression.

Prepare Meal

Some elders may need help cooking or preparing their meals. Not to mention, cooking may be dangerous for them, especially if they're alone. On the other hand, ordering out may not be the healthiest and most cost-effective option. With a senior caregiver, they can make meal preparation easy. They can assist with grocery shopping and cooking meals. They can also help ensure that the patient gets the nutrition they need. For example, they can organize a meal plan for the entire month to suit seniors' needs. And with their knowledge of the patient's medical history, they'll avoid allergens or unhealthy food to ensure they eat well.

Basic Housekeeping

Aside from cooking meals alone, it's also unsafe for seniors to perform basic housekeeping. As much as they want to be independent, doing those can be dangerous. For one, they may be prone to accidents, such as slipping or falling, causing injuries. With that in mind, part of a senior caregiver's duty also includes helping with housekeeping. A senior caregiver can help wash the dishes and take out the trash. If the aging person lives in a house, the caregiver can also help do house chores, like sweeping the floor, vacuuming dust and debris that may have accumulated, and gardening.

Assist With Transportation

Unfortunately, seniors can't drive or take public transportation to get to different places. Aside from being unsafe for them to drive alone, it can also be challenging, especially if they're already experiencing mobility issues. While public transportation could be an option, they may need help getting in and out of the ride. With those in mind, a caregiver should assist them when they need to go elsewhere. For example, they can drive the senior's car to the park or doctor's appointment. Essentially, having a caregiver who can help them go places is convenient and safe.

Monitoring And Reporting

Lastly, another important role of a senior caregiver is monitoring the patient, especially since the comfort and well-being of their patient is their priority. That said, they should always track the senior's progress. For instance, they should observe if they're improving or need extra assistance.In addition, a senior caregiver should immediately report if there are any changes in their patient's condition. This is especially if the elder is recovering from a health issue. Regardless of the issue's intensity, their healthcare provider and family should be aware of any changes. With such reports, they can adjust their loved one's healthcare plan and provide proper treatment or medications.

Takeaway

Generally, a senior caregiver has plenty of duties with their patient. They aim to provide assistance to make the seniors' lives better and more comfortable. They also help perform basic tasks, such as meal preparation and housekeeping. They can also provide companionship to keep them socially engaged and happy. But above all, senior caregiver helps monitor their patient's health and assist in giving medications. With these in mind, hiring a caregiver to attend to the needs of your loved one can go a long way in improving their quality of life and ensuring their overall well-being.

Reviewed by

Bishwajeet Singh

Health Blog Editor

GenderMale

CountryIndia

JoinedAug 2023

Wrote434 posts

Bishwajeet Singh is an experienced medical content specialist specializing in creating easy-to-understand health and medicine information.

His expertise lies in diverse health domains, including general wellness, nutrition, and preventive care. He brings a wealth of insights, promoting health understanding through her writing.View Profile