How to Become an Elderly Care Provider
Written by:
Jeffrey Grossman
Published:
October 18th, 2021
Did you know that the best elderly caregiver training programs aren’t necessarily the ones that provide you with a certification or a degree? The US population of adults 65+ is expected to double from what it was in 2012, so there’s a huge need for in-home caregivers. There are already more jobs than caregivers, and the need is growing. Are you wondering how to become an elderly care provider? Do you need more information on senior care provider certifications? Have you looked into in-home caregiver training classes? Many people looking into a caregiving career ask, “Do you need a CNA license to be a caregiver?” or “What companion care certification do I need to care for the elderly?”
In this article, we’re sharing inside information about how to acquire caregiver training. You’ll learn about senior care worker qualifications and different work environments for caregivers. Keep reading to get greater insight into home care training programs.
What Are Senior Care Worker Qualifications?
When it comes to qualifying for a career in caring for the elderly, there are two main parameters:
Caregiver training
Let’s look at how these two elements play a role in becoming a senior caregiver.
Personal Fit
Being a caregiver is a rewarding but also challenging career, and not everyone is cut out to be a caregiver. The ideal elder care provider is someone who:
Wants flexible, nontraditional hours
Desires to work in a home context
Is motivated by human connection and compassion
Enjoys interacting with the elderly
Values excellent service
Likes being part of a compassionate community/team
In addition, caregivers often possess certain qualities and character traits that help them on the job. Some of these characteristics include:
Compassion
Empathy
Patience
If you don’t possess all of these traits, that’s okay. Some of these qualities can be learned and developed over time.
Caregiver Training
A common question regarding becoming a caregiver is, “Do you need a CNA license to be a caregiver?”The answer is, no. You don’t need a CNA license or another type of certification to get a job as a senior caregiver. These certifications can be useful for acquiring caregiver skills and making you stand out when applying to these jobs, but they’re not necessary.Instead, there are certain caregiver training classes and programs that better prepare you for the role of a caregiver.
We’re hiring caregivers in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, VA and Charleston, SC.
Caregiver Training Classes That Set People Up for Success
The best way to acquire caregiver training is through an in-home care company. In-home care companies provide care specifically to elderly adults, so they know what it takes to care for aging seniors.However, not all home care training programs are created equal. Surveys of caregivers have found that the most beneficial elderly caregiver training programs involve the following three factors.
1. Online and In-person Training
Courses to take care of elderly adults should include online and in-person training opportunities.
The online portion is usually an 8-hour course that teaches you the skills needed to be a caregiver. However, instead of long pages of text or extensive videos, the online training provides engaging micro-learning content in the form of:
Videos
Flashcards
Games
Interactive activities
Once you finish the online training, you’ll perform various skills and walk through job-specific scenarios with trained eldercare professionals. They’ll offer you helpful feedback and tips to better prepare you for looking after elderly adults.
2. Hard and Soft Skills Training
Whereas CNA courses only teach practical skills, the best caregiver training classes teach both practical skills and hospitality skills. Training for practical skills include:
How to help someone with limited mobility
Basic first aid knowledge
Information about common medications
What is included in “light housework” and how to perform common household tasks
Hospitality skills, on the other hand, are softs skills that allow a caregiver to truly care for and treat each client with honor, respect, and compassion. Some of these hospitality skills include:
Communication skills
Emotional intelligence
Home care training programs need to include these soft, hospitality skills as well as cover practical, hands-on topics.
3. Ongoing Training and Support
Once you acquire initial caregiver training, you’ll need ongoing training and support.For example, Commonwise Home Care provides their caregiver with “Level Up Days.” These days are unique times throughout the year that allows their caregivers to receive training in specific areas, like dementia care. And when caregivers complete this training, they also receive increased pay.In addition, ongoing support from other trained eldercare professionals is necessary for you to succeed in your career. Some days are difficult and you’ll encounter situations you may not be prepared for. Support from others can help you overcome these challenges.
How to Become an Elderly Care Provider
There are several contexts in which to work with the elderly, each with its own pros and cons. Here are some of the main options for becoming an elderly care provider:
1. Advertise Yourself as an Independent Caregiver
One way to become a caregiver is to advertise your services directly on websites such as Indeed or Yelp. Some of the pros of this route include:
It’s more direct than going through a company
You can set your own pay rate and your own hours
You can keep all your earnings
However, there are also some cons:
You will be competing with many other caregivers who may be better qualified
No company assistance with finding/vetting clients, negotiating contracts, providing substitutes if you want a day off, etc.
No company protection such as insurance, advocacy, or providing an alternate client if the fit is not right, etc.
Though it may be appealing to cut out the middleman, being an independent caregiver is a lot of work for one person, and includes a fair amount of risk.
2. Work in an Assisted Living Facility
Another option is to get a job working in an assisted living facility. Some of the pros of this route include:
Easy onboarding process
No special qualification requirements
Team environment
However, there are also some cons:
Low pay
Limited training
Poor ratio of staff to elderly people
Working in an assisted living facility is a straightforward way to work with the elderly, but the working environment may not be as empowering as in other eldercare contexts.
3. Work in a Hospital
You can also work with the elderly in a hospital or healthcare environment. Some of the pros of working in a medical facility include:
Furthering your medical career
Providing you with specialized experience
Working with other medical professionals
As with all options, there are also some cons:
May require qualifications such as medical degrees/certifications/experience
Limited interaction with the elderly
Medical focus rather than general elder care
Working in a hospital may be a great fit for some people. However, if you’re seeking a career-focused specifically on the elderly, an in-home context might be more appealing.
4. Work for a Private Home Care Company
A final way to become an elderly care provider is to work for a private home care company as an in-home caregiver.Working for a home care company has a lot of pros:
Many companies are looking to hire
No prerequisite experience/certifications needed
Most companies provide in-house training
In-home work environment
One-on-one care for the elderly
The company provides administrative support and protection
Depending on the company you work for some cons to this route may include:
Low pay
Working alone rather than with coworkers
Insufficient training
However, some companies highly value their caregivers by providing ongoing support, training, and livable wages.
Caregiver University: One of the Best Elderly Caregiver Training Programs
When it comes to senior care worker qualifications, there are two main elements:
Possessing the right desires and traits of a caregiver
Receiving proper caregiver training
Once you've decided that you want to pursue caregiver training, you need to find good caregiver training classes. Three marks of good training include:
Online and in-person training
Hard and soft skills training
Ongoing training and support
After your training is complete, you can start working as a caregiver. A few of the most popular environments for eldercare workers are:
As an independent caregiver
In an assisted living facility
At a hospital or medical facility
Through an in-home care company
If you’re interested in working for one of the top home care companies in Virginia and South Carolina, Commonwise Home Care is the place to go. Commonwise Home Care is a private home care company that prides itself on having the best caregivers in the industry. One way Commonwise invests in their staff is through their proprietary, in-house training program, Caregiver University. Caregiver University is unique from other home care training programs in a few ways:
Hospitality skills are included along with all the necessary practical skills
The course includes both an engaging online component and an in-person workshop where trainees can practice what they learned online
Ongoing training through “level up” days, through which caregivers can continue to build their skills and increase their pay
However, don’t just take our word for it. Here’s a testimonial from one of Commonwise’s caregivers:
“Before joining Commonwise, I was nervous because I had never provided care to someone in their home. The Caregiver University onboarding program was really helpful because it helped me fine-tune my personal care skills, but also prepared me for the other types of challenges that I faced when I started entering people’s homes.”
– Emily, Commonwise Caregiver
If you want to receive ongoing training, higher than average wages, and a work culture of excellence, then come to work at Commonwise Home Care—the best private elder care company in Virginia or South Carolina.
We’re hiring caregivers in Charlottesville, Richmond, Williamsburg, VA and Charleston, SC.