In this article, we’ll cover six different types of caregivers and how their respective duties differ from each other.
In-Home Caregivers
If you’re looking for an in-home caregiver for yourself or a loved one, you should know there are different types. In-home caregivers provide services for the differing stages of caregiving a client requires. Below, we’ll break down the most common types of caregivers for in-home services.
Family Caregivers
Family caregivers are usually unpaid family members who take care of a spouse or loved one. These caregivers are almost always related to the person receiving care in some way. It is possible to have some of your caregiving expenses reimbursed, but on average, about 21% of all caregivers work unpaid.
That said, you may become a paid family caregiver by working with a home caregiving agency. JEVS offers the highest market pay rates plus full benefits for their caregivers. Find our caregiver career opportunities here.
Independent Caregivers
An independent caregiver gets hired directly by the person’s family needing care and has no affiliation with a caregiving agency. They provide all of the necessary caregiving services and work with the family to determine their loved one’s care needs.
Private Duty Caregivers
Private Duty Caregivers typically work for a home care agency or independently and ease the difficulties of everyday life for a senior. This allows clients to continue living independently in their home. Depending on their level of training, a private duty caregiver is able to provide medical, nursing, cleaning, home, and transportation services.
Informal Caregivers
Informal caregivers provide similar services to those of family caregivers. This difference is in most cases, these types of caregivers aren’t related to the person receiving care. That said, these caregivers have some connection or relation to their clients. This makes it helpful for creating the companionship many seniors seek.
Professional Caregivers
Professional caregivers are career caregivers, so their primary occupation is caregiving. These caregivers work with a care recipient either in their home or in a facility to ensure they receive proper care. Professional caregivers work for agencies, so they are typically assigned when you hire the agency. They provide everything from homemaker services to medical care if necessary.
Hospice Caregivers
Hospice caregivers are hired toward the end of a care recipient’s life. In most cases, the care recipient has some type of terminal illness. These types of caregivers provide the standard caregiving duties but also focus on prioritizing comfort and quality of life when possible.
Virtual Caregivers
Sometimes, it’s not possible for a caregiver to be in the care recipient’s home either due to safety or health reasons; that’s where virtual caregivers come in. By using a tablet or other type of screen, caregivers interact with their clients through Skype or another form of video call to ensure their health is monitored. This type of caregiving should be supplemental to in-home services. That said, it still helps in caregiving with medication reminders or health screenings. It’s also helpful for companionship.
Adult Daycare Centers
For seniors who don’t do well in their home environment alone, there’s adult daycare. Adult Daycare offers the opportunity for seniors to have stimulating social, cognitive, and physical activity outside of the home for a part of the day. Your loved one may be unsafe alone, can’t perform daily activities, and is alone for most of the day. Adult day care may be a good option for addressing these concerns. These programs typically supplement an in-home caregiver, usually in situations where a family member, who is also the caregiver, has another job.
Nursing Homes
If your loved one has a chronic condition or cannot return to their daily life after an injury or illness, a nursing home may be the best outlet for them to receive the short or long-term care they need. Nursing homes provide a variety of rehabilitative therapies, medical assistance, and higher levels of aid than what a typical caregiver provides. Some living in a nursing home may be bedridden, have a physical or mental disability, have Alzheimer’s or Dementia, or need more medical attention.
Assisted Living Facilities
Assisted Living Facilities come in all shapes and sizes but are typically designed to provide a basic level of care and assistance to their residents. These facilities offer social activities, a community setting, and other services to enrich the lives of those living there. Outside of these services, care is provided periodically and as needed, like in the case of administering medication. The assisted living staff provides care as needed and not constantly like in the case of a caregiver.
In addition to standard assisted living facilities, there are also specialized facilities, or sections of the facility, that work primarily with those who need more care. These sections are typically for those with injuries, chronic conditions, or diseases like Alzheimer’s or Dementia.
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