What Is Caregiving?
It is a common occurrence for adult children to take care of their aging parents or elderly loved ones when they can no longer take care of themselves. This can take a toll on the family caregiver's personal life. It might be hard to spend time with their own family while managing a career. Caregiving can be a high-stress profession especially if you are not prepared to take on all of the roles a caregiver must take.Many families today face similar predicaments. From aging parents to elderly friends, children and friends often drain themselves through loving care for their elderly relatives. However, there is another option for family caregivers who work to help their relatives enjoy functional, beautiful lives.
There are many ways professional caregivers can administer care. Generally speaking, there are five types of caregivers in today's medical world. Caregivers can do anything from administering medications to assisting an elderly person with daily tasks, and they may have a variety of skill sets. Registered nurses, for example, might assist an elderly patient while unlicensed assistants can help grandma cook her meals. Sometimes deciding between two choices can seem daunting, but simple research into the roles and responsibilities of each type of caregiver can ease the burden for you and your family. With a large selection of each of these positions, BrightStar Care of Kissimmee/Osceola is here to make home care for your loved one a simple and smooth transition.
Five Different Types of Caregivers
Registered Nurse (RN)
The registered nurse (RN) is the most well-known professional caregiver. Registered nurses, of course, work in hospitals, but they may also care for elderly people in their own homes. This choice not only brings the greatest level of expertise directly to the family's door but also allows the patient to remain at home.Registered nurses are highly trained experts. While in practice, they must pass a state certification test and continue their education. This allows them to refresh and grow their medical knowledge. Nurses are able to tackle a wider range of tasks as a result of their education, especially for individuals with more acute and specific concerns. Registered nurses perform simple caregiving activities such as monitoring symptoms and ensuring that the patient receives his regular dose of medicine. In addition to fulfilling the aforementioned duties, they are also responsible for educating the family on the patient's condition, developing plans for medical care, and executing many other vital activities. Registered nurses also give families doctor's orders from a variety of specialists in order to paint a broad picture and assist them to make the best decision possible for their loved ones.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
Different from registered nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) have undergone less training to receive their licenses. The number of abilities that these nurses have is significantly lower than what you may find in a typical nurse. Despite this, these nurses still conduct essential operations such as immunization administration, patient diagnosis, and the creation of a treatment plan. Licensed practical nurses often work with teams and can manage their stress levels, multitask, and make decisions well. These nurses can provide in-home care for patients with noticeable needs that do not warrant the watch of a registered nurse.Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA)
A licensed nursing assistant (LNA), also known as a CNA, has some of the same responsibilities as an LPN. Their job includes clear communication with patients, recording patient diets, and tracking vitals, to name a few tasks. These nurses have less training than an LPN, so they do not perform more complex medical tasks like a registered nurse or an LPN does. Because the position of LNA is regarded as an entry-level hospital job, they can work in-home providing hospital-level care, but they can not do the same tasks as RNs or LPNs. A licensed practical nurse (LPN) may be a good fit for families seeking basic, informed care for their loved ones, but not the full expertise of a registered nurse.Home Health Aid (HHA)
For families searching for one step up from the care they can give, there is the Home Health Aid (HHA). Home health aids frequently concentrate their efforts on elderly, sick, or disabled individuals. This means that while they can aid patients with daily chores, housekeeping, and medical scheduling, a home health aide has less experience assisting with major medical matters. However, because the home health aid has experience working with patients with different needs, they can provide more care than a family member in the home.
Caregiver
The last and least trained option is the professional caregiver. These healthcare providers have no formal medical education. Instead, they talk with their patients, aid them in taking medicines, and keep track of things like body temperature and unusual behavior in their patients. The advantages of having a simple caretaker are numerous. One great example is that they mainly concentrate on maintaining the patient's mental health and fostering patient-caregiver ties. If the need is for someone to watch and monitor the patient, not to help with complex medical issues, a caregiver may be the right fit.Which Caregiver Is Right for You?
Although many families face similar situations of taking over the caregiving role and experiencing the sudden overwhelming stress of the responsibilities, those challenges do not have to continue. The option of in-home caregiving provides a safe and healthy alternative, while simultaneously offering caregivers with a variety and range of skills. When looking for the right caregiver for you and your family, it's crucial to consider the kind of environment from which the caregiver comes from. BrightStar Care of Kissimmee/Osceola offers nurses of all five types who come from a compassionate and friendly environment. From the unlicensed but loving caregiver to the registered nurse, BrightStar Care of Kissimmee/Osceola is here to work with you in finding the right caregiver for you and your family.BrightStar Care of Kissimmee/Osceola wants to bestow a helping hand on you and your family during this time, making life simpler for everyone involved. BrightStar Care of Kissimmee/Osceola provides excellent standards of care through any of its five caregiver positions.
Contact us today to learn more about our caregiving services! Our office is located at 3383 W. Vine St., Suite 307 Kissimmee, FL 34741. You may also call us at 407-572-0070. We look forward to hearing from you!