Caregiving is a growing career option for many Americans looking for rewarding work. It gives people a sense of purpose and lets you see your works benefits in real-time. While there are many perks to working as a career, many qualities and skills set successful caregivers apart.Qualities of a Successful CaregiverA few innate qualities most caregivers tend to have that help them have a successful career include compassion, empathy, dependability, and drive. CompassionOne of the top qualities we look for in caregivers is compassion. Compassionate people go out of their way to physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually support others. Someone with compassion is also sensitive to others needs and knows how to make people feel comfortable in any situation. As a caregiver, you must put your clients needs first and do whats required to ensure they receive the proper quality care they deserve. EmpathyMany challenges come with aging; as a caregiver, its important to practice empathy when working with clients. There may be days when clients get frustrated with themselves for not being able to do something they once did, and they may take that frustration out on you. Try not to take reactions personally. Instead, put yourself in your clients shoes and let them know you understand where theyre coming from and that its okay to feel emotional about aging. Sometimes, that small act of empathy is enough to turn the situation around.DependabilityAs a caregiver, you must be dependable. You are responsible for showing up to shifts on time and performing all tasks to the best of your ability. Clients rely on their caregivers to help with daily tasks such as showering, dressing, grooming, and meal preparation. If you are not reliable, your clients likely wont feel comfortable with you caring for them and may refrain from asking for further assistance when they need it. However, showing up on time and providing quality care builds respect and trust so your clients can feel safe and comfortable in their homes. DriveCaregiving is a unique job in that youre responsible for your work without direct supervision from a manager. When youre working, its only you and your client. You need to have drive and take the initiative to complete your work. You should observe your client and step up and offer assistance without waiting for them to ask or for a care coordinator to ask you. Skills of a Successful CaregiverQualities of a successful caregiver are often something people have or not. The skills of a successful caregiver are learnable and tend to improve as you develop in your role. A few essential skills of a successful caregiver include time management, leadership, and communication skills.Time Management One of the benefits of working as a caregiver is the flexibility in scheduling. However, if you have a flexible schedule with non-traditional work hours, you must have good time management skills to ensure you are at each clients home on time. You also need to utilize your time management skills while working with clients. If you only have a few hours with each client, you should understand how to prioritize tasks and get everything completed in the given time frame. LeadershipLeadership is about your ability to influence others. As a caregiver, part of your job is helping seniors make healthy and safe choices. If you have good leadership skills, youll have an easier time convincing clients to eat more nutritious foods, be more active, or ask for help if they need it. Good leadership skills also help you build trust with your clients because theyll see you as an expert in their care and feel confident in your ability to help them. Communication Communication is about how you share and receive information. As a caregiver, you need to communicate with your clients effectively so they understand your role in their life. Strong communication skills also play an essential role in building relationships. The better you communicate, the easier itll be to connect and make a connection with your clients. Getting Started with Visiting Angels At Visiting Angels Grand Junction, were always looking for compassionate, dedicated caregivers to join our team. Were hiring part-time and full-time positions to help seniors in Grand Junction and the surrounding communities. A job with Visiting Angels comes with competitive hourly pay, paid training, flexible scheduling, bonus opportunities, and one-on-one client interactions. If youre interested in starting your caregiving journey, send us your application online or call 970-254-8888.

Locally owned and operated with 10 years in the industry, Roaring Fork Home Care assists our clients to remain in the comfort of their own home, by providing quality care up to 24 hours, 7 days a week; giving loved ones piece of mind.We Specialize inNon- Medical Personal CareHelping loved ones with more intimate personal tasks like bathing, dressing, hygiene, and more. Caregivers are experienced in understanding the personal nature of these types of support services.Companion CareCompanion care ensures your loved one has someone to talk to and interact with, and remains socialized.Homemaking CareCaregivers can assist with laundry, light housekeeping, and meal preparation.Respite CareShort term care is a great solution to preventing burnout as a family caregiver. Give yourself a break by bringing in a qualified care professional.Overnight CareA caregiver can be there to help throughout the night with things like getting ready for bed, using the bathroom at night, and getting up and ready for the day. For more information, please call us at 970-404-6353.

There are very few times in our lives where we fail to plan for the future. Before we are born our supplies and living arrangements are planned and the joyous event takes place, we are born.  From infancy all our steps are arranged. From there, we continue forward with schooling, coming of age and careers.  Throughout the years as we grow, we continue to plan for our futures and eventually retirement.  It is in this latter planning where sometimes plans are not a strong as they once were or could have been.Most of us do not live our lives planning for the worst but instead have high hopes for our futures.  Life is unpredictable as we all know and in some cases a health care crisis can change the entire tone of our futures we have planned.  Being unprepared in this type of crisis can be costly and can even bankrupt any and all plans we have laid down.  Only when we arrive on the doorstep of a health care crisis do we fully realize how well we have planned.Private insurance is for when we are in our working lives, and Medicare for when we retire. How does a person transition from their working life through a health care crisis right before Medicare?  How do I pay my bills?  Where does my income come from if I am not yet of the age for retirement?  These questions are valid and should be addressed long before any type of crisis arises. Home and Health Financial Planning is a new way of answering these questions.  There are many ways to look at a situation.   Depending on the diagnosis, there is a timeline usually accompanying the news and a course of treatment follows but, in most cases, we look to our insurance to handle most of the concerns.There are ways in which to access public programs that can leverage the financial burden of high costs for care. We should explore these avenues and be proactive in our understanding of what is available. By the time you or your loved one is in the hospital it could be too late for a financial review.Editors Note: This article was submitted by Jennifer Erikson with AAA Medicaid Consulting, Inc. For more information she may be reached at 719-459-2519 or email jerick8712@aol.com