Become an Elder Care Giver

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Teens looking for a way to make some extra money might consider a part-time career in elder care. There are many opportunities to provide quality care to the aging baby boomer generation. As people age they often want to stay active and involved with life. You can help them to accomplish this goal in many ways.

Becoming a successful business person and running your own elder care business will require some planning, but it’s definitely doable. You may want to gain some experience by volunteering in a local nursing home, long term care center or helping with elderly grandparents or neighbors.

You will also need to determine what you’ll charge and how you want to be paid. Call some other care givers and find out what the beginning earnings are for them. While you’re at it, ask them how they got into the job and why they enjoy it.

It would also be wise to have a CPR card. Knowing proper safety techniques will help you to stand out from other candidates for such jobs. In order to get this, you can call your local fire station, ambulance station, hospital or Red Cross. Or look in the classified section of your local paper and sign up for a class. Often, they’re free, but if not, it’s a good investment for your business and still shouldn’t be too expensive.

The most important and perhaps challenging part of starting your business will be find clients. Call local churches and see if they have elderly in need of an in-home care giver. Some churches will be happy to put your name and number in a bulletin or on a bulletin board noting that you’re available. Also print up some flyers and maybe place an ad in the newspaper to get the word out.

You’ll want to build up clientele slowly so you don’t have so many clients that you’re overwhelmed right off the bat. Often just one client or two clients a day will be plenty. You may go to the same client’s home daily, every other day, or it may be only weekly or monthly that you stop in.

As an in-home caregiver, you’ll go to the person’s house and help with simple chores such as house cleaning, laundry and running small errands or even driving the client to various appointments or shopping. Occasionally, you may help with yard work or one-time cleaning. The idea is to be available for whatever you can do to help.

In some cases, some elder caregivers are required to assist in personal care such as bathing or even dressing. If you’re not comfortable assisting someone in this manner then you would be need to let the person know up front you can’t do this. Or perhaps consider another type of business.

There are many companies that hire people as in-home caregivers and offer a simple training course. If you enjoy the work and live in an area where training is available take advantage of it to get started, if possible. Often after such a course you might even find a few clients through that agency who are anxiously awaiting a caregiver.

Different areas have different requirements for licensing. Check with your local city to see if you need a business license or another form of license such as a nursing assistant certificate in order to be a caregiver. Some areas only require a medical card or CPR certificate. Others will require you to complete a training course. It’s best to be sure, whatever the requirements are before you begin.

As an elder caregiver, you will be responsible to arrive at your client’s home on time and as scheduled, and to follow through with the various assignments the person requires. Whether it be shopping with the client or from a list on your own, follow the specific requirements placed upon you.

Spend some time talking with your client and getting to know them and what their needs are. Sometimes, the main thing is just to have someone around in case they fall or need a little assistance.

Elder care giving can be a fun and rewarding job and can lead to a full-time career in as a nurse or doctor later on. This can be quality experience for you and will look great on a resume. Relax, do your job well, and enjoy yourself and your client for the most success in this lucrative business choice.

Tags: business idea for teens, caregiving business, Teens Business Idea