Popular Professions With Jobs on the Rise: In-Home Caregiving

Popular Professions With Jobs on the Rise: In-Home Caregiving

In-home caregiving is a great path for anyone who is, compassionate, level-headed, and a hard worker. OH! You also have to love people. It takes a certain type of person to handle the job, but the rewards are infinite. I’ve selected a few core push-factors that lead me into pursuing caregiving as a profession.

Promising Employment Opportunities

It’s 2017 and people are still struggling to find jobs. The healthcare industry, however, is seeing a large need for healthcare professionals especially with the baby boomers reaching retirement age and needing extra assistance. Researchers say that the population of US citizens age 65 and older will more than double by 2060 reaching 98 million. There is an overwhelming demand for caregivers to sustain this enormous population shift. Finding a caregiving job may be significantly easier than some other professions that don’t see as high of a demand. Furthermore, in the last few decades, the caregiving industry has seen a shift in senior preference in care services. More seniors are opting for in-home care services rather than traditional nursing homes. As a veteran of Pawson Career Institute, working one-on-one with clients in their home is a great alternative for both the caregiver and client.

Flexibility

Ahhhh, the dreaded 9-5 work day. Monday through Friday you’re essentially stuck in the same routine until you retire. Sound boring? I sure didn’t enjoy being stuck behind a desk for 8 hours every day. That is not the case when you become a caregiver. You essentially have the ability to pick your hours (within reason) to best fit your needs and schedule. You can work full-time, part-time, or even a few hours a week. Although being a caregiver takes time and patience, no day will be exactly the same and you will be kept on your toes between tasks like meal prepping, transportation services, and other household chores. I also love the personal interaction I get to have with my clients and often incorporate them into the tasks to give them a sense of purpose. Caregiving definitely trumped my experience in the corporate world staring at a screen.

Companionship

For me, an important aspect of my career is the ability to help people and build relationships. Rather than seeing my clients as patients, I enjoy befriending them as well and taking the time to get to know them. Building a strong relationship is beneficial for both of you and makes the time spent together feel less like work and more like a friendship. Although you may not be buddy-buddy with all of your patients, it’s important to make an effort to get to know them that way you can better assist them. As I mentioned before, I always make it a priority to include my clients in their daily activities. By engaging them in meal prep, or light housework, they feel less like a burden and more of a companion. Engaging the elderly can help with feelings of loneliness and depression. At the end of each day, I go home with a smile on my face knowing that I made someone’s day a little bit brighter. If you are a compassionate hard-worker and other people’s happiness drives you to success, then you should seriously consider becoming a Certified Home Health Aide.

What Next?

I’m sure I could go on and on about the endless rewards and driving factors with a caregiving career, but if you are convinced that this profession is the one for you, or I’ve sparked your interest - contact my alma mater, PCI at 609-416-2442 to explore our various caregiving courses and opportunities. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have about our curriculum as well as general caregiver questions. Pawson Career Institute offers an online training course to get you certified that is flexible for those with busy schedules. Getting a certificate is your next step in becoming a professional caregiver, and I wish you the best!