Skills To Develop For A Successful Caregiving Career

Professional caregiving is a rewarding field of work and a challenging position that takes many skills for a successful career. Not everyone can work as a professional caregiver, but understanding and developing the necessary skills before starting your new position can help you advance into a successful career. 

What Is Professional Caregiving?

A professional caregiver is a compassionate and hardworking individual responsible for the overall well-being of their client. There are different types of caregiving, some specializing in working with specific clients or providing a certain type of care. At Visiting Angels, we provide at-home care to local seniors to help them stay safe while living independently at home. At-home care means our caregivers visit clients at their homes and assist with daily activities like housekeeping, medication reminders, and cooking. Some clients may also require hands-on assistance such as bathing, grooming, dressing, and mobility. 

While caregivers provide essential care to clients, they are not medical professionals and may not provide any medical care. Medical care includes administering medication, dressing wounds, or changing IVs.

What Skills Do I Need To Be A Professional Caregiver?

Caregivers working with Visiting Angels receive paid training to learn the ins and outs of caregiving. We’ll show you how to care for your clients properly, but there are essential skills you should have before working as a caregiver if you want to make a successful career out of it. 

Communication

Communication is the key to successful caregiving. Communication between you and your client builds the foundation for a trusting relationship. You want to have the ability to communicate effectively and with patience and empathy. The stronger your communication skills, the easier it will be for you to connect and work with your client. 

Beyond building a relationship with your client, communication is also important for relaying information to the office. The office at Visiting Angels needs to know what’s going on with each client so they can communicate with family and pass needed information to other caregivers who may work with your client to ensure quality care. 

Critical Thinking

There is no typical day-to-day as a professional caregiver. A big part of caregiving is visiting your client and assessing the best way to help them that day. That’s where critical thinking skills come into play. Critical thinking is your ability to conceptualize, analyze, and apply information effectively. It’s also about your ability to make quick decisions and develop solutions to ensure your client is always safe and comfortable at home. 

Time Management 

Your clients depend on you for basic daily needs, like grooming and cooking. Some clients can’t enjoy the quality of life they deserve without your assistance, so you must have proper time management. 

Time management is not just arriving at your client’s home on time. It’s about helping them with activities promptly and ensuring they get to appointments on time. It’s also about keeping a routine that clients can rely on. 

How Can I Improve My Skills?

Whether you’re confident in your communication, critical thinking, and time management skills, or you need to freshen up before you start caregiving, there are many easy ways to improve your skills. 

• Books: Books are a great resource for improving any skills. You can purchase books from the Peregrine Book Company in Prescott or borrow some from the Prescott Public Library. 
• Online courses: If you are more of an academic learner, look for online courses in developing various skill sets. Most online courses are self-paced, but you can find a few that are instructor-led if you want something with a bit more structure. You can find great online courses at LinkedIn Learning or Harvard University. 
• Connect with other caregivers: If you want an inside look into what it’s like to work as a professional caregiver, connect with other caregivers. They can provide honest insight into the ups and downs of the career and what steps they’ve taken to become successful at their job. Plus, talking to someone in the position you want allows you to ask questions and dig into the aspects of the job that interest you most. 

What Are The First Steps To Starting A Career With Visiting Angels?

If you’re ready to commit to a career as a professional caregiver, consider applying to Visiting Angels. We are a locally owned and operated home care agency dedicated to caring for seniors and families throughout our community. 

Our Prescott office is hiring caregivers for full-time and part-time positions. As an employee with Visiting Angels, you’ll enjoy competitive pay, reimbursable mileage, flexible schedules, bonus opportunities, paid time off, and training. Plus, you’ll have autonomy over your work with tons of one-on-one client interactions. 

Take the first steps to start your professional caregiving career by sending us your online application or messaging us with any questions.