Position Overview
A personal caretaker provides personal care to individuals. Their work includes providing personal care assistance including grooming, feeding, and bathroom functions.
In addition to this, it is the responsibility of a personal caretaker to assist with medication administration and perform light housework.
Educational Requirements
Usually, a high school diploma or GED is considered sufficient to work as a personal caretaker.
However, training in administering First Aid and CPR is also required if you want to work as a personal caretaker.
Skills Requirements
Exceptional interpersonal skills, solid patience, great attention to detail, and excellent physical stamina are important to possess if you want to work as a personal caretaker.
In addition to this, it is important for personal caretakers to understand bad moods and mental conditions as they may be assigned to an individual who has dementia setting in or has had brain damage.
You should be patient and empathetic.
Personal Caretaker Duties and Responsibilities
• Assess assigned individuals with care to determine their specific requirements and personalities.
• Go through doctors’ orders to determine what each individual requires in terms of medical attention.
• Create meal plans according to each assigned individual’s specific likes and dislikes, and their nutritional plans, approved by the doctor.
• Plan and prepare meals according to nutritional plans and assist patients in partaking in them.
• Administer medication by mouth, in accordance with set medication schedules.
• Assist physical therapists in implementing exercises by providing support and encouragement to individuals/patients.
• Accompany patients to doctors’ appointments or at social gatherings, while ensuring their physical and emotional comfort.
• Provide limited counseling services to patients in a bid to keep them away from depressive states.
• Perform light housekeeping activities such as dusting and vacuuming and ensure that patients’ surroundings are kept free from hazardous objects.
• Monitor patients constantly and act quickly during emergencies, by administering CPR or First Aid.
• Run errands such as grocery shopping and paying bills, and handling minor repairs around the house.
• Take and record patients’ vitals such as temperature, pulse, and blood pressure, and ensure that appropriate records are maintained.