Caring for Other People
Providing care for other people, especially those who are older or disabled, is an act of compassion. Whatever type of care you provide, it requires empathy and selflessness, and people who go into a caring profession do so out of a desire to help others. Sometimes, it can be hard to know the best way to care for an older person. It gets confusing when you need to enlist the help of a professional, but do not understand the difference between the different types of carers. Caretaker and caregiver, for instance, are terms that are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing. Here, we will explain the difference, so that you can feel confident about the care you choose for your loved one.
Caregivers
A caregiver can be a family member or a professional. Caregivers offer care, support, and assistance to those who need help with daily activities, and they are trained to provide medical, emotional, and practical assistance. The responsibilities of a caregiver vary depending on the needs of the person being cared for, but can include assisting with toiletry activities, administering medications, managing and transporting to appointments, helping choose between possible alternatives, providing companionship, emotional support, and supervision, and encouraging and supporting the person’s family.
Caretakers
Caretakers are responsible for maintaining a property, animal, or person. They are not necessarily trained to provide medical or emotional support, and do not tend to develop an emotional and personal connection with the person in their care. Caretakers handle basic care tasks for those unable to care for themselves. While caregiving provides connection, caretaking focuses on practical needs. In some cases, caretaking can have a negative connotation, as some caretakers veer from a supportive role to a more controlling one. They often focus on problems rather than solutions, jumping in to solve problems for their care recipients, rather than allowing them to make decisions on their own.
Why hire a professional?
If you have a loved one who needs care, your instinct may be to provide that care on your own. In some cases, this is a viable option. It is complicated, though, and it’s easy to start out as a caregiver and find yourself becoming more of a caretaker. Hiring an in-home caregiver can help. Caregivers have the experience and knowledge to provide high-quality care, and can free you from taking care of your loved one, so you can focus on maintaining the quality of your relationship. Even if you are the primary caregiver for someone you care about, having an in-home caregiver to provide you with respite care can help you take necessary breaks so that you can come back to your responsibilities refreshed and better able to manage them.
Quality Care from BrightStar Care
At BrightStar Care of Carroll & Frederick County, we understand the need for quality in-home caregiving, because of our own family experiences. Our founder, John Kraynak, of Frederick, experienced the realities of caregiving in his own family, when his father developed dementia and his mother became his primary caregiver. Seeing the stress it caused her, the strain it placed on their relationship, and how complicated it was to navigate the world of in-home care, Kraynak decided that there should be an easier way. A businessman in the field of engineering, he decided to look into established homecare businesses and franchises to use as a jumping-off point. Learning about BrightStar’s high standard of care and commitment to a continuum of care, he knew he had found the right option. Today, BrightStar Care of Carroll & Frederick County provides a wide range of home care and medical staffing services, offering high-quality, compassionate care for our clients and unparalleled support for the local healthcare system. For more information about how we can meet your family’s unique needs, call or contact us through our website.