The job of a caregiver for seniors is quite different from that of babysitters, requiring a different personality type and skill set. Sometimes it is easier to find babysitters online than qualified senior caregivers.
Parents seeking babysitters are looking for certain abilities. Good child care requires someone who can see things from a child’s point of view while exercising the responsibility and knowledge of an adult. We say such people are “good with kids,” an informal accolade describing a specific list of qualities held in high regard by those trying to find babysitters online. In addition to knowing how to take perform the tasks of child care appropriately, they must be able to communicate with them on their terms.
A caregiver for a senior, on the other hand, needs to be able to take a more mature approach. Intelligent, interesting conversation is extremely important for seniors. It keeps them in touch with the world in a personal way that TV or radio can’t match, and it dispels feelings of isolation by giving them a sense of human interaction. The benefits of this can be very significant in the long run, as it allows seniors to exercise their minds and personalities.
The issues of senior caregiving are completely different from those babysitters typically have to face. This can be seen by comparing the degree of mobility of a child and a senior. A small child enrolled in child care will probably be quite mobile and energetic, and dealing with that energy can be a big challenge for babysitters. An older person, on the other hand, may have mobility issues and require help just getting about the house. Obviously, these situations are so dissimilar that they need completely different approaches.
The health problems of seniors are not the same as those of a child in child care. A babysitter and a caregiver for an older person should be familiar with different illnesses and medications. Seniors often have more medicines to take than children and keeping up with them can be a challenge. Their caregiver should understand the importance of sticking to a medication schedule and take the responsibility to make sure it is done properly.
One of the most important qualities for a senior caregiver is also perhaps the hardest to describe. The concept of respect changes with age, and providing such an environment is an ability often lacking, but strongly required, in a good senior caregiver.
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