Caregiving: The Career Choice that Makes a Difference
Being a caregiver is more than a job – it’s a career that really helps people.
Let’s meet Arlona! She’s a Help at Home caregiver who has been working with her client Michael for three years. Because Michael can’t get out of bed, Arlona helps with three meals a day, six days a week. She also helps him take his medicine.
That sounds like a lot of work, but Arlona says “being a caregiver doesn’t feel like working.”
“It just feels like I’m coming to help someone who needs help,” she said. “And that makes me happy.”
Arlona is a great example of how Help at Home caregivers enable people to have great days at home, which is where most people want to live. Like Arlona, all our caregivers work hard to create meaningful moments that improve client lives.
Arlona and her client, Michael
Help at Home caregivers work with the same client for an average of four years!
Because Arlona has been with Michael a long time, she knows his history. She remembers when he could still walk and when he was getting around with a wheelchair. This means that now she knows some of the activities he used to enjoy and can help him find new ways to do those things, even as he has become less mobile.
Depending on client needs, caregivers can take clients shopping, help them go for a walk in the neighborhood, or play games at home. As abilities change with time, caregivers can help them adjust. For example, if a client can no longer go outside to admire the flowers, the caregiver might be able to pick one from the front yard to bring inside. That way the client still gets to see their favorite flowers.
“It brings joy to my life to be able to help someone do the things that they aren’t able to do anymore,” Arlona said.
Caregivers are matched with the right opportunity for them
Help at Home is thoughtful about how it matches caregivers with clients. The Help at Home team considers scheduling needs as well as personality traits. Some caregivers want to work only certain hours a week or prefer certain types of activities. (For example, some clients might want to go to the park every day, so the person assigned to that client would preferably also enjoy the outdoors.) One caregiver might only be available two weekday evenings – and another might only want to work with clients who don’t need a lot of rides to the store. The Help at Home team works hard to meet the scheduling needs of anyone who would be a good caregiver.
“Help at Home has a reputation for caring for our caregivers,” said Priscilla Messir, Chief People Officer for Help at Home. “That’s why we emphasize flexibility to attract great caregivers and make sure they want to stay with us long term. We believe we are the best place in the country to work as a caregiver.”
The average Help at Home caregiver is in a home for about 17 hours a week – but Arlona chooses to work much more than that.
“What I love most about working with Michael is that he brings a joy to my life,” she said. “When I’m making a positive difference for Michael, it makes me feel ecstatic.”