Being a caregiver and a source of support, and offering a helping hand to someone living with a chronic disease is a wonderful thing. But you may wonder where to begin. Here are some of the first steps you will need to take to start a career as a caregiver in the Chicagoland area.
How to become a Caregiver?
A career as a caregiver can provide an enriching experience for those who want to help people, make a difference in people’s daily lives, and enter a profession without committing to earning a degree. It is also ideal for those seeking variety in the workday, job stability, and opportunities for advancement.
A good thing about becoming a new caregiver is that the specific training needed is not as intensive as other health care programs, but you still learn all of the necessary skills to become an effective caregiver after graduation. Starting a career as a caregiver doesn’t take long, and therefore, the tuition is at a lower cost. Most programs take under six months to complete and only require a high school diploma for entry.
Caregiver training
If you’re just starting your career in healthcare, you may not want to commit to earning a degree straight away. The good news is that you have many different training options.
If you’re just starting out and would like to see whether this profession is really for you, you can complete a series of courses online at your own pace and become a certified caregiver.
If you would like to take a step further, you can choose from a variety of university courses that will prepare you for a career in health care.
For more details on training recommended by Open Arms Solutions, read How to Find Caregiver Training in Chicago here.
What does a Caregiver do?
Individual tasks can vary based on where a caregiver works and the type of patients they serve. We’ve listed below what caregivers typically need to know and be familiar with.
- Activities of daily living (bathing, toileting, brushing teeth, skin and hair care, teeth and denture care, meal prep, medication reminders, housekeeping)
- Transfer training using a gait belt, Hoyer lift, sit to stand
- HIPPA and confidentiality and patient rights
- Infection control (basic hygiene, germs, common conditions, COVID)
- Nutrition and food safety
- Fall prevention and safety
- Preventing elder abuse
- Infection Control
- Memory loss, dementia, stroke and seizures
- Client-centered and family-orientated end of life care
Finding Jobs as a Caregiver
Once you’re ready to start working as a caregiver, you can decide whether you prefer to work in a facility, such as a nursing home, travel to people’s homes, or live with the person you’ll be looking after and provide care throughout the day and night.
When you’re ready to browse open positions, you can use the myCNAjobs.com site to look for available jobs in Illinois. You can also browse open positions at Open Arms Solutions here.
Apply to Work with Open Arms Solutions
Here are some requirements to keep in mind before applying to work with Open Arms:
- Six months of caregiver experience with seniors is required
- Must have the passion and motivation to care for others
- Must live our Core Values which are being positive, team-oriented, always do the right thing, be compassionate, and provide excellent service to our clients
- Must have a valid state ID or DL
- Must be vaccinated against COVID-19
Ready to be a caregiver? Apply for a position at Open Arms Solutions now!
Join our care community to receive weekly educational resources and updates!
