What qualities should you be looking for in a private carer? When it comes to finding a private carer for yourself or a loved one, you want to get it right.
Making sure that your future private carer can provide the highest quality of care is paramount in a successful placement. Guardian Carers have been in the domestic placement industry for more than 15 years and we know exactly what makes a great private carer.
We have placed private carers all over the country. When we look for candidates to fill our private care roles, we make sure that they are suitable, experienced and able to provide an exceptional service to all our clients.
We believe that there are certain qualities that go into making a great private carer. Below you can find the top 10 qualities that our experts look for when recruiting top private care candidates.
One of the key qualities we look for in a private carer is respect. Typically, you will be able to make out whether or not a private carer is respectful from the first interaction you have with them.
Respect is a key quality employers look for in the care field, and in most fields. As a person ages and their independence and capacities reduce, it is easy to become patronising and even treat the elderly as children. A great private carer will be able to connect with you or your loved one as a person, not just as a client. Many of our private carers have established close bonds with our clients and even made friends for life.
Empathy is one of the core qualities that any private carer needs to have. Ageing and all the ailments and illnesses that are attached to it may make an older person confused or distressed by the whole process.
Having someone who can understand the process, who shows empathy and who can be there for the person when they need it most is essential. A great private carer will make them feel heard and understood. Having someone to talk to can often turn a person’s life around.
Reliability is one of the key qualities consultants look for in private carers. If a private carer is not reliable, for example, they are late to an interview or they don’t show up for their shift, they will not even be able to get a job with us.
Clients are putting their loved ones in the hands of a private carer and they need to know that the person they choose is 100% reliable. There is no in-between when it comes to reliability and trustworthiness.
Patience is important as older people can sometimes feel frustrating. Especially if the private carer has to look after a person with dementia, they need to keep calm and be patient at all times.
Tasks that seem simple to the majority of us become harder and harder to complete for older adults. They also become more forgetful, irritable or even aggressive. Dealing with these situations with patience can make the distinction between a good and an inferior carer.
Any client loves to have a lively private carer around their home. Especially when some older people may suffer from depression, mood swings or any other mental health issues, having a person brighten up their lives considerably changes their outcomes.
Lively private carers not only manage to improve a person’s mood but can also help them live better lives. People who have dementia, for instance, oftentimes are uncooperative when it comes to things like eating, drinking or bathing. A private carer with a lively personality will enable them to cooperate and soothe them if they are feeling on edge.
This is quite an obvious quality you should look out for in a private carer: a caring nature. As obvious as it may sound, a private carer must actually care. As much as it is rewarding, care can also be difficult. It takes a person who really cares about other people to take on such a role.
Caring is not just a job. It involves building and maintaining relationships with the clients. You will want to find a private carer who does just that. It must be a person who genuinely cares and loves what they do.
A private carer’s role is very complex.Private carers will often have to help with personal care needs such as washing, dressing, toileting and wound care, for instance. A good private carer should be able to handle sensitive situations like these.
They should be able to assist clients with care and dignity and handle the sight of bodily fluids with ease. A good private carer will treat their clients with the dignity and respect they deserve, without making them feel embarrassed or ashamed.
Dealing with elderly people or people who are less able is sensitive. A good private carer needs to be observant and notice any changes in the person they are looking after. An elderly person’s mental or physical health can change dramatically in a short space of time.
Picking up the signs of deterioration early on will enable them to identify an underlying problem or improve their client’s quality of life, for instance. They may notice a change in their appetite, weight loss or weight gain, increasing confusion or increased irritability, just to name a few.
Most people who are attracted to working in the care field will possess the qualities listed above. It will be rare to be attracted to such a career without having a caring and compassionate nature, for instance.
As important as personality is, a great private carer must also have the right experience. For instance, if you are looking for a private carer to look after a loved one with dementia, the private carer must have at least a couple of years of experience caring for people with dementia.
People will look for certain personal qualities and a particular level of experience in a private carer. However, qualifications should not be overlooked. There is a variety of courses and qualifications that a carer may have which will help them carry out their duties better.
Don’t be put off if a private carer does not have certificates or qualifications. There is no particular standard that private carers must follow. However, if your consultant has conducted a background check including an enhanced DBS check and verbal verification of employer references, you should trust that they have the relevant experience and qualities that you are looking for.
Give us a call. We are ready to help. We believe we can find your perfect carer.