When you care for an aging loved one, it’s extremely difficult to do everything all the time. Fortunately, millions of caregivers provide in-home health and personal care services for older adults. With so many caregivers available, it can be overwhelming to find the right one for your friends or family members.

Let’s review the types of caregivers and the steps for choosing the right person.

Types of Caregivers

In-home caregivers can do everything from helping around the house to providing health care services. However, their capabilities depend on their training and certifications:

Personal Care Aides

PCAs don’t have health care licenses of any kind and have varying levels of training and experience. Basically, they’re companions and helpers who can do light housekeeping, bathing, dressing, and other daily tasks. Some of them take older adults to doctor appointments and can do shopping on their behalf as well.

Home Health Aides

Alongside assisting with daily activities, HHAs can monitor vital signs and health conditions.

Licensed Nursing Assistants and Certified Nursing Assistants

In addition to the above services, LNAs and CNAs are trained to perform certain health care services. For example, they can clean catheters, set up medical equipment, conduct exercises, monitor infections and administer some treatments.

Licensed Practical Nurses

Also known as skilled nursing providers, LPNs offer the above services in addition to providing direct care that other caregivers cannot. Administering intravenous drugs, shots, and tube feedings are a few examples. They’re trained in physical, speech, and occupational therapies too.

Registered Nurses

With an associate degree in nursing or a nursing diploma, registered nurses meet all state and federal licensing requirements to administer medications, operate medical equipment, assist with medical procedures and provide direct care.

Tips for Choosing a Caregiver

In some cases, it’s not totally clear which type of caregiver will best suit your loved one’s needs. The following tips can help you narrow down the options.

1. Assess Your Loved One’s Needs

With your loved one, decide the level of assistance necessary. Write down his or her limitations, expectations, needs, dislikes, and likes. It’s important to take your loved one’s wishes and opinions into account throughout the whole process.

2. Use a Registry

If you and your loved one need assistance with choosing the right type of caregiver, use a registry like Caring Home Care. It can connect you with an independent in-home health worker who can meet your loved one’s needs. Additionally, you’re more likely to find a caregiver who can work at unusual times.

3. Interview Potential Caregivers

When you’ve found a few possible caregivers, you and your loved one should interview them in person. While some caregivers look good on paper, they might not interact well with your loved one or be a good fit for some other reason. Holding interviews can prevent having to find a different caregiver later.

Contact Caring Home Care

We understand how important it is to find the right caregiver for your aging loved one. Through our nursing registry, you can find caregivers who offer everything from simple housekeeping services to live-in care services.