Caring for someone else in their time of need can be very rewarding. Caregivers, whether professional or family, share similar traits: a heart for service, patience, flexibility, encouragement, and the desire to build a meaningful relationship with the person they are caring for. If you have these traits and a desire to learn how to safely assist someone with tasks such as grooming, dressing, bathing, showering, eating, toileting, and more, you might be an excellent caregiver.
If you’re wondering how to become a caregiver, and how you can potentially make money while doing it, here is what you need to know.
Becoming a Professional Caregiver
If you would like to become a professional caregiver, there are a few steps you can take to begin the process. The first is becoming a caregiver who is not certified. These professional caregivers can work for nonmedical home care agencies, visiting clients in their homes and providing care during a specific shift of the day or week. Caregivers who are not certified can also work independently as long as they are licensed and insured. Family members can hire independent caregivers directly, thereby bypassing the need to work through a home care agency.
To become a caregiver who is not certified, you can look for home care agencies near you and see if they have caregiving jobs available. You can apply, and if selected, you will typically go through an interview process before being hired. Once hired, you will go through a designated training process, which often includes online or in-person classes at the home care agency as well as shadowing an experienced caregiver before taking on a client on your own.
Training at a nonmedical home care agency will include topics like:
- How to help a client with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as dressing, showering, and grooming
- How to follow a care plan, which is a document written by a home care nurse that lists the tasks that caregivers need to complete
- How to document and communicate
- What to do in case of an emergency
- Warning signs to look for that might indicate a potential illness or emergency
If you choose to become a certified caregiver, a CNA (certified nursing assistant), you will need to take a CNA certification course. You can find these offered through local community colleges and some hospitals. Each course takes about 12 weeks to complete and there is a certification test that you must pass in order to earn your CNA title.
CNAs can work in home care agencies as well, as well as in hospitals and senior living communities.
Becoming a Family Caregiver
Sometimes, people become caregivers because they need to in order to support an aging family member. If you are in this situation, you might not necessarily feel called to make caregiving your primary career, and that is okay. You can still become a family caregiver, helping out your loved one when you stop by for a visit.
Most family caregivers do not know how to be a caregiver initially, which can make them feel nervous, scared, or anxious about their new role. However, you can become more confident the more you learn about your loved one’s needs, as well as their diagnosis. Here are a few ways you can find reliable resources that will help you begin your caregiving journey:
- Read up about caregiving basics, including how to care for yourself while you are a caregiver, at Family Caregiver Alliance
- Work with your loved one’s physician, physical therapist, and medical team to understand their needs and challenges, as well as what to anticipate in the future
- Consider joining a support group for other family caregivers to share stories, encouragement, and resources. You can find family caregiver support groups at your local hospital, senior center, or senior living community
- Consider taking a virtual caregiving class through organizations such as the Caregiver Action Network
- Understand resources and home adjustments that can make your job easier, and your loved one safer, such as a medical alert system, shower chair, or prescribed mobility aid.
Getting Paid as a Family Caregiver
If you are a family caregiver for your aging loved one, you might qualify for getting paid for your services through state-funded programs. Medicaid waivers are available to pay for family caregiving as a patient-directed choice. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging or your local Medicaid office to learn more about your state’s requirements for this program.
In addition, if your employer has a paid family leave benefit, you might be able to receive compensation through that for your caregiving duties. Speak with your Human Resources representative to learn more about your options.
Finally, if your loved one is a Veteran, you might be able to receive compensation for family caregiving through their VA benefits. You can learn more by contacting your loved one’s VA representative to determine eligibility and other requirements.
No matter if you are looking to become a professional caregiver or are researching how to become a family caregiver, begin with an open mind and willingness to learn something new. If you’re a family caregiver, you’ll also be learning something new alongside your loved one, so be patient with yourself and with them as you embark on this journey together.
