As a home health care provider, you’ll have quite a lot of responsibilities on your hands. After all, you’ll be dealing with frail and vulnerable people who will be dependent on you for their well-being and quality of life. Although some say that there’s no middle ground and that you’ll either love the job or not, there are certain skills and characteristics that you need for a home care job. What are these? Let’s take a look.
Skills for care jobs
Domiciliary care jobs usually don’t require a specific level of education. In fact, you don’t even need to have a completed high-school diploma to get started and get your foot in the door. However, it’s advisable to show that responsibility can be placed in your hands in order for you to be considered as an assistant for home health care. With this in mind, here are the top 10 personal characteristics your employer will be looking for when hiring:
Time management
When working in someone’s home and taking care of their needs, they become reliant and dependant on you. Sometimes, being late can be fatal and you need to show you’re responsible by being on time and making sure you aren’t tardy when it comes to respecting your client’s time and needs. In addition, you may have to juggle more than one client’s requirements in a single day and this will mean the need to be punctual at each home while you get your tasks done in a timely manner.
Attention to detail
This is a vital skill for a home care worker because if you’re observant enough, you can spot changes in behaviour and well-being and report these to the right people to prevent a situation from escalating to unwanted or dangerous levels. Remember, you’re in the people business and your primary object is your patient. You therefore need to be well-acquainted with their needs, desires and wants and cater to these while also carefully observing any changes in their behaviour.
Interpersonal skills
The ability to communicate effectively with your patient is vital, and while doing so, you also need to be able to show them respect and maintain their dignity. Interpersonal skills are a must in this business because you’ll be dealing with patients one-on-one and if you lack the necessary skills to express yourself accurately, it could be harmful for the patient.
Positive
A positive attitude is a must in this field. It is often a thankless job and you may feel underappreciated. What’s more is that you may find it hard to strike a work/life balance and it’s important to ensure you stay positive about all your experiences, even though some of them may be tough to handle and deal with.
Physical strength
Some patients will require physical lifting and it would be beneficial if you have the physical strength to help them. In other cases, you’ll need to move furniture around – another task that requires physical strength. Overall, by looking after your body and physical well-being, you’ll be able to look after others better as well.
Patience
Patience is a must when it comes to dealing with the elderly, the ill or the disabled. There are some tasks that they simply cannot do as quickly as they used to or some tasks that they may not be able to do at all. In addition, sharing a personal space with someone for prolonged periods of time could mean frustration and this is where you need to slow down, take a step back and let things run their natural course.
Some medical knowledge
This will be required especially if you are administering medication on a regular basis. It’s also a good idea to take courses to refresh your knowledge and learn new skills and information as it becomes available so that you are able to care for your patients in the best possible way.
Clean
If you live with a patient, sharing a space means adhering to some house rules and keeping things neat and tidy. This is not only a way to show that you respect your patient’s home but can also be helpful in the event of an emergency where messy surroundings could be prohibitive and cause a hindrance.
Authoritative
Some patients will be tougher to deal with than others. Some may refuse to take their medication at the allotted time, while others may simply refuse to do what you say. It’s important that you know yourself well enough so that no boundaries are crossed and yet so that you can still ensure that their needs are met while keeping the patient’s well-being top of mind.
Communicative
It’s vital that you know how to communicate effectively so that your patient gains your trust and so that you can clear the way for a fruitful relationship in the future. After all, you’ll either be living together or spending a lot of time together and being open about your intentions and requests will pave the way for a smoother relationship further down the line.
Why to apply for a job in home health care?
A health care assistant job is one that ultimately requires a lot of responsibility and dedication. You also need to possess important personal characteristics and qualities that will help you in your job. Despite the responsibilities, being a health care assistant is also one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. This is why if you’re looking for home care assistant jobs, you should emphasise the personal qualities you possess to show that you’re up for the challenge and that you can handle anything that comes your way.
