They looked like two friends enjoying coffee and a chat, except one was furiously scribbling notes. As Cheri shared her experiences with hiring caregivers for her dad, Abby tried to write down all her insights. Everything Cheri said struck a chord with her, but it wasn’t the advice she’d been expecting.
Delight
“When potential caregivers meet our dad, we want a sense that they delight in him as a person. We want them to enjoy his personality and revel in his humour. It’s what makes him who he is, and if they can’t appreciate it or understand it, they aren’t right for us. One of our current caregivers said goodbye to Dad the other day by saying, “Stay sassy!” He grinned for a long time after she left.”
Flexibility
“A caregiver’s role can look totally different from one day to the next. It’s important to hire someone who’s willing to have that variety in their days. Sometimes, Dad wants to go out to the park and watch the children, or see what flowers are blooming. Sometimes, he has visitors. Sometimes, he wants to work on a puzzle and appreciates company. The caregiver who follows his lead in these things is a treasure. We had one who refused to help our Mom put paper in the printer because it wasn’t part of her job description. That’s not the kind of person we are looking for, and so different from others who are willing to help in so many ways.
We are also grateful to our team who cover for each other when one is sick. Not being able to show up for a shift can cause incredible stress for the family.”
Abby hadn’t thought about the team aspect, but it made sense.
Initiative
“This is such an important one. When the client is resting, it helps the family so much for the caregiver to have their break and then tackle other things. Every task they accomplish is one the supporting family won’t have to do.”
“What kinds of things?” asked Abby.
“Things like cooking simple meals, laundry, light housework, taking out garbage and recycling or answering phone calls. Everything helps.”
Abby looked thoughtful “It sounds like a big machine. Lots of tasks outside of basic care, and lots of people involved. How do you keep it running smoothly?”
Communication
“We have come to understand the importance of interaction amongst caregivers and the family. We have
a group chat, and when caregivers put important information in it, facts are shared with the whole team as well as the family. It means other carers can take over a shift seamlessly. Sometimes they work out small issues among themselves, and that’s wonderful, or they identify something that needs to be discussed together. Communication makes a huge difference.”
Abby wouldn’t have thought of many of Cheri’s points. She would approach hiring staff to care for her mother with a whole new set of questions.