Caregivers and credentials
Caregiver training
Caregiver training is instruction that teaches paid or family caregivers how to give safe, respectful care. Topics often include personal care, safe lifting and transfers, communication, and handling emergencies. Requirements differ by job type and by state. Agencies, community groups, and public aging programs may offer the classes.
Why it matters for your family
Good intentions are not enough when someone needs help getting out of bed or into the bath. Poor technique can hurt both the caregiver and the person in care. Families can ask any provider what training its caregivers complete and how often it is refreshed. Family caregivers can also learn. Programs funded through the National Family Caregiver Support Program include caregiver training along with counseling, support groups, and respite. A common mistake is to assume that all caregivers have the same training. A companion caregiver, a home health aide, and a nursing assistant may each follow different rules.
Source: acl.gov
Read more: How to Get Started with Hiring In-Home Care
Related terms
- Direct care workerA direct care worker is a paid worker who gives hands-on help to people who need support with daily living.
- Dementia care trainingDementia care training teaches caregivers how to support a person with memory loss.
- Family caregiverA family caregiver is a relative, partner, friend, or neighbor who gives unpaid help to someone with an illness, disability, or age-related needs.
- Certified nursing assistant (CNA)A certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a trained worker who gives basic care, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, moving patients, and taking vital signs, under the supervision of a nurse.
- Personal care aide (PCA)A personal care aide (PCA) is a non-medical caregiver who helps with daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, meals, housekeeping, and errands, and often provides company.
- TransferringTransferring, as an activity of daily living, means moving between surfaces, such as bed to chair, chair to standing, or wheelchair to toilet.
