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Helpful personality traits for live-in care work

12/15/2020

Carers all around the world have a very important job. They cater to patients, making sure that all of their needs are met at the comfort of their home.

People with disabilities or the elderly are often the ones who require a live-in carer to look after them. In order to help these patients, it is extremely important for live-in carers to have an attitude that employs positive reinforcement for the well being of their client. 

 

What are the qualities that a good live-in carer should have?

There are many struggles a live-in carer faces when caring for someone who needs assistance with all day-to-day activities. Therefore it requires someone who not only has a jovial personality but is also very practical and responsible. 

Following is a list of all the traits and attributes that a live-in carer should possess in order to provide quality care to their patients.

 

1. Effective communicator

Caring for anyone be it the elderly, or someone young with disabilities, it is really important for live-in carers to be able to communicate well with the ones they are looking after. Oftentimes patients feel hesitant sharing anything that is troubling them. This is where the job of the live-in carer comes in. If the patient trusts their carer enough, they will be able to communicate their problems in a much better way.

Good communication does not just start with health problems, but also about anything. This will not only help the patient trust their carer more but also feel engaged in conversations, making them feel less gloomy or sad.


 

2. Humble and Polite

It is essential for live-in carers to be humble and polite at all times with their clients. It becomes very difficult when dealing with the elderly as they get irritable easily as they prefer things being done a certain way. This makes the job of the carer a little difficult, but cooperation can only be achieved if the carer is empathetic and keeps in regard to all the wishes of his/her patient. 

A nice humble gesture can go a long way for the ones suffering from terminal illnesses. 

 

3. Have great tolerance and be calm

It is usually not easy being a carer and the workload can vary on an everyday basis. Carers dealing with patients with cognitive disorders might find it even more difficult to keep their cool as they might get shouted at. Even in situations of the sort, it is important that the carer manages the situation and very gently tries to handle the patient. 

 

4. Emotionally stable

Oftentimes it is not easy for live-in carers to notice the health of their patients deteriorate. It is important that live-in carers are observant of all the slight changes in the condition of their patients so that adequate adjustments can be made in the management of their condition. 

It is important for carers to care for their patients but not get emotionally drained, this will only decrease their productivity.

 

5. Welcoming and friendly

It is often neglected, but it is extremely helpful for patients to have a carer with a bright warm personality. Many patients who cannot leave their rooms find it very difficult to enjoy themselves. Having someone who greets them with a smile and is friendly towards them can help them feel more at ease and better about themselves.

 

6. Non-discriminating behaviour

It goes without saying that carers should have a non-judgmental and non-discriminating behaviour towards their clients. Patients who require full-time carers already feel insecure and burdened by their condition, they need someone who does not make them more uncomfortable. 

 

7. A good listener

Most patients with debilitating illnesses feel disconnected to the world and really want someone to converse with. A good carer knows how to spark a conversation and let the patient do all the talking. This not only helps the patient feel light-hearted but is known to help them feel better about themselves. 


 

Conclusion

The job of live-in carers is not easy and requires personality traits that genuinely show care for their patients. Despite the hardships, if a live-in carer truly cares for the betterment of his/her patients, this job can be very rewarding and bring peace in the carers life.



 

References

  1. What are the qualities of a good carer? (2020, August 12). Retrieved November 10, 2020, from https://myhometouch.com/articles/what-are-the-qualities-of-a-good-carer

  2. Personality Traits of a Carer: Carewatch Blog. (2019, October 23). Retrieved November 10, 2020, from https://www.carewatch.co.uk/top-personality-traits-of-a-carer/

  3. How To Find The Right Live-In Carer - The Live-in Care Hub Can Help. (2019, January 15). Retrieved November 10, 2020, from https://www.liveincarehub.co.uk/find-right-live-in-carer/

 

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