In-home caregivers are some of the most crucial healthcare professionals because they provide essential healthcare services to individuals and families that cannot pursue long-term health care beyond their home’s front door.
From long-term home health aides to in-home physical and occupational therapists, your family’s relationship with an in-home caregiver is crucial for the overall comfort and success of their services.
If home health care is a new experience for you and your loved ones, here are 5 ways to quickly form a strong, professional bond with your caregiver that helps welcome outside help into your home.
1. Approach the Relationship as a Partnership First
Yes, your home caregiver is there to provide a service first and foremost. However, forming a friendship with them can improve the effectiveness of your loved ones home health care.
When your home health representative begins work in your home, consider them a partner and companion more than an employee. Once you are able to approach your relationship as a partnership, it’ll be easier to open up more comfortable communication opportunities when important decisions must be made.
2. Respect Your Home Health Aide’s Privacy
While it’s great to form a friendship with a home health care provider, remember, that privacy in your arrangement goes both ways. So, when you are getting into building a relationship, remember to keep your initial questions and topics as general as possible.
Some of the most common ice breaker questions that can help ease a caregiver into getting comfortable with you and your family include:
- The caregiver’s hobbies and interests
- Where they are originally from
- What got them interested in their profession
- Favorite movies, books, or television shows
Remember, there are certain topics that are extremely taboo and that should never come up in a conversation between you and your loved one’s caregiver. Always avoid discussing:
- Politics
- Sexuality
- Religion
- Race
- Earnings
Generally, keep all topics of discussion as those you would only bring up at a family dinner.
3. Always Keep Communication Lines Open
At the beginning of your home health care relationship, always establish clear lines of communication that let both parties know what’s expected of them out of this partnership.
While this may seem like a more formal approach to building a relationship, setting these expectations of each other early on allows for fewer complications down the line and forms a solid foundation for building trust between your loved one and their caregiver.
4. Remember, They Are the Home Health Professional
Although you may have been your loved one’s primary caregiver over the years, do your best to keep in mind that home health care providers have years of experience and education in their field.
While it’s tempting to step in and give advice about how to approach your loved one’s care, they are the professionals who will thoroughly create a comprehensive health plan that ensures all of an individual’s needs are met.
Once you can let go of the wheel and let your in-home provider take control, you’ll be able to see significantly faster effects from their process that can help form a stronger bond between the caregiver and your family.
5. Give Praise Whenever Possible
Too often are home health caregivers faced with criticisms because individuals only tend to focus on what goes wrong. As with any profession, praise for even the slightest accomplishments is recognized and shows that you care about them much more than just an employee.
Make Better Home Health Decisions With Angel Home Healthcare Services
If home health care is the next step in health services for your loved one, make sure that your family works with the most dedicated home health care team in Dallas. At Angel Home Healthcare Services, our in-home health solutions combine compassion, professionalism, and experience to create a reliable, successful home health experience.
Contact us to learn more about our services and schedule your first in-home consultation with a member of our team.