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Has Your Homecare Aid Really Been Trained?
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Most people are astonished to hear that many
homecare workers do not have any formal education in caring for an
elderly adult. Certified nurse aids and registered nurses must hold a license
or a certification in all 50 states. Homemakers, sitters and
companions, and "aides," on the other hand, do not have to be certified or
licensed at all.
A recent study by The Caregiving Project For Older Adults
identified a common misconception that is likely to result in
serious outcomes for families needing experienced caregivers.
Although 78% of the people surveyed believed that all home care
workers have received a recognized level of education, in fact,
there is no such thing.
A licensed or certified aide (where you live determines what these
caregivers are called) has completed mandatory training and has
passed a standardized certification or licensing exam. If a home
caregiver has a valid "certificate" or "license," this confirms
that the aide successfully completed this education and has
participated in any mandated regular continuing education.
An "aide," "companion," or "sitter," on the other hand, may have
received no formal training at all. If a professional agency
employs this home care worker, he or she might have had some
rudimentary training by the agency. Not all agencies attempt to
provide this kind of training, and there is no standardized
curriculum if they do.
A caregiver who you have hired privately may or may not have had
some previous experience, or "training," by learning on the job
while working for someone else previously.
How important is the lack of formal caregiver training? The
elderly who are becoming more frail or confused will have steadily
increasing needs. The skills that a good caregiver needs will
change accordingly. A care worker who manages in the beginning
with a little common sense and physical strength may find herself
in water completely over her head as her client's needs increase.
Does this mean you shouldn't ever hire an uncertified or
unlicensed aid or companion? Not at all. There are thousands of
perfectly competent, experienced employees who have never been
certified or licensed because they never worked in a medical
homecare agency or care facility that required it.
What it does mean is you should never take it for granted that
anyone who calls him or herself an "aid" or "experienced
caregiver" has had formal training unless he or she is working as
a licensed or certified aid or nurse. You have to ask. If your
elder has an illness or behavior that calls for a caregiver with
particular experience or training, ask for evidence before you
hire. You are always within your rights to ask to see the
prospective employee's current certificate or license.
If you are planning to hire a caregiver through an eldercare
agency, be sure to ask about licensure or certification when you
discuss the training their employees have had. Many agencies will
have employees both with and without certification. You may have
to pay a little more for a trained and certified caregiver, but it
is usually well worth the additional expense if the caregiver is
not fresh out of school.Worried that you don't know what you need to know about caring for aging parents? Get your free copy of the
Eldercare Planning Guide:
"What You Really Need to Know When You're Planning For Eldercare,"
and then dive into the wealth of elder care and caring for aging parents information at
The ElderCare Team |
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