Becoming a paid caregiver appeals to those who enjoy seniors.
Did you have a special bond with your grandparents? Do stories “of times gone by” captivate you? Are you naturally an empathetic person?
Your curious and giving nature could make you an awesome professional caregiver!
Professional Home Care Aides earn money by assisting seniors. Rather than spout off from our perspective, however, we hired a marketing consultant to speak at length with three of our experienced caregivers about their work. If their stories resonate with you, feel free to give Stephanie (HR and Recruiting Administrator) a call at 619-291-4663. You can also send your resume to [email protected] and we’ll contact you!
The following eight perks of becoming a paid caregiver may surprise some of you who feel drawn to the profession. This specific information from Love 2 Live caregivers/Home Care Aides reveals what it’s like being your own boss with backup. We hope it gives you the confidence to take first steps in a direction that matches your values!
(We spoke with the following Love 2 Live caregivers: Lisa Mihm (employee since 2009); Khadega Malik (employee since 2013), and Beth Lotker, who has been with Love 2 Live for a little over one year).
Caregiver Khadega & Mrs. T
- With Little Caregiving Experience, Many Transition from Other Careers and Get Clients Quickly
Those who feel called to caregiving may be surprised that an upbeat personality and caring disposition goes a long way in meeting the job criteria. Onboarding caregivers who are relatively new to the industry since 2003, Love 2 Live does a great job in preparing its employees for their first assignments. As the San Diego population ages, we’ll continue to train and hire even more compassionate caregivers!
In 2012, Love 2 Live caregiver Beth was tiring of her career as an office manager. When her mother began to struggle with daily tasks, she became her primary caregiver. Then, a layoff from her position prompted her to consider senior caregiving full-time. “I wanted to change careers,” she explains, “and caregiving seemed like the perfect match for me. After I did it for a little while, I realized that this is my mission!”
Beth isn’t the only one who found a new level of excitement from her new career. Khadega, who traveled to Egypt from Sudan before moving to America, describes how, “Being a caregiver for an elderly woman was the first job offered to me when I first went to Egypt. I really loved that job, and I still love working with the elderly!” Today, she takes Mrs. T. and other Love 2 Live client to events, doctor’s appointments and social gatherings. The job remains low-stress for Khadega. “Sometimes there’s a problem, but I can figure it out. I find a solution,” she confides. “Also, I learned that I can I can always call the Love 2 Live office, and they are always so helpful. Anytime I call them, right away I get an answer.”
Read our post about how many baby boomers are stepping off the fast-track to enter “encore careers”—jobs that keep them contributing and engaged within their community while able to offer a lighter and more flexible work schedule.
- Caregivers Have Rich Opportunities to Grow and Challenge Themselves
Love 2 Live Care’s founder, Sheila Korn, knew when she started the agency that when employees feel more in control, they’re happier with their jobs. Caregivers gain confidence when they know how to handle both routine care tasks and emergency situations.
To prepare for a new (or even first) client, Love 2 Live caregivers have free and flexible access to the Caregiver Learning Center. This resource features professionally designed online courses about providing care for the elderly and those debilitated by medical conditions and procedures. Similar online courses charge hundreds of dollars for enrollment. Topics include:
- Body Systems and the Aging Process
- Emergency First Aid: Heart Attack and Stroke
- Nutrition and Hydration
- Controlling Infection
- Human Needs and Development
. . . and dozens more!
Khadega explains, “I don’t work for any other agencies. I love working for Love to Live because I am a CNA, and they have courses for me that help me gain even more experience.” Personal growth is a human need. At Love 2 Live, you can continue learning throughout your career.
- Fun Community Activities Brighten Both Client and Caregiver Lives
Did you know that the Balboa Park Senior Lounge offers dances with live bands every other Thursday afternoon? Or that the Reuben Fleet Science Center has $7 IMAX movies for seniors every Monday? Or that the Silver Sneakers organization offers dozens of flexibility, yoga and exercise classes all over San Diego County? These few examples barely scratch the surface of scores of activities available to San Diego seniors and their caregivers each month. Even better, they are often free or very low cost (and of course the senior foots the bill for the caregiver.) What a way to take advantage of everything this beautiful city has to offer!
The staff at Love 2 Live keeps their caregivers in-the-know by distributing monthly activity calendars for various communities within the city and the county overall. Lisa Mihm, a Love 2 Live caregiver for eight years, explains, “Love 2 Live updates me on potential activities I can do with my clients. I try to plan out the day with fun activities like going to the park, or having a picnic. I occupy the client throughout the day so that they’re happy.”
- Caregivers Have the Ideal Boss Relationship
As Lisa indicates above, Love to Live caregivers enjoy planning their day and carrying out tasks without over-the-shoulder supervision. At the same time, they have helpful backup, too.
Love 2 Live prides itself on always being there for their caregivers, and championing them through thick and thin. For example, Lisa commented, “When I first went to the Love 2 Live office and met everyone, they were all so nice. The one good thing is you can definitely rely on Love 2 Live to help you. They also check in with me on a regular basis to make sure everything is going well, not just with my clients but with me and my schedule too.”
Careful to select only those Home Care Aides with the personalities and skills to succeed, Sheila, Kevin, Frani and Stephanie all take employee concerns very seriously. We strive to keep a caregiver long-term, and some have been with us for 10 years and more!
Beth agrees that Love 2 Live always looks out for her. She shares, “I’m still getting over a client of mine that passed away last March, and Love 2 Live listens to me talk about missing her. I can also always be honest about how my day went. Even if there were no incidents, I can still just chat with the staff at Love 2 Live about anything!” We love hearing feedback like this.
- Careful, Compatible Client Match-ups
Love 2 Live has found over the past 14 years that matching caregivers with senior clients by personality, experience and interests brings the best outcome for everyone. Every caregiver is provided with a thorough summary of the potential client, detailing the prospective senior’s personality, likes/dislikes, and more. Of course, a caregiver is always free to decline an assignment, whether it be due to the client living too far away or the schedule just doesn’t match what the caregiver is looking for. With office staff reassurance and support, however, most are very willing to tackle new opportunities and challenges.
Lisa appreciates our painstakingly developed matching process. “You can look over the summary beforehand, and then decide if you want to go to that client or not,” she explains. “You can also meet with the client on a trial basis, and then get back to Love 2 Live on whether or not you think it would be a good fit.”
Beth, who admits she has an upbeat personality, reveals, “I am very bubbly, and I like to bring sunshine into people’s lives, so Love 2 Live tends to pair me up with those that most need joy.” When asked what she likes the most about her days spent with her clients, she responds,
“Everything! I’m creative, and a good cook, and I really enjoy creating special dishes for clients based on what they like. I can prepare a full course meal for them just using what they have in the kitchen! I also really like to get my clients to talk. I really engage with them, and I won’t let them just sit there and watch TV or look out the window. What surprised me is just how nice everyone is that I work with. I’ve always had such good clients!”
Clearly, Beth thrives on coming up with great ideas and executing them. She tends to plan her whole day based on what she and the client want to do and hope to accomplish. Yet she knows she can always call Kevin, Frani, Stephanie or Sheila to bounce ideas and ask for feedback.
- A Feeling of Fulfillment
All of the caregivers interviewed said that they feel true payback when they give of themselves to others. We know well this job takes a special kind of personality—one like Lisa’s. “I had a strong bond with my own grandparents growing up, and that’s what drew me to working with the elderly. I find it very rewarding. I see the seniors as my friends, and not just clients. I really enjoy my life!”
Khadega also spoke of a sense of fulfillment. “I love caregiving,” she says, “because I just feel I should help others. I’m actually happy to do caregiving, and working with those in need.”
- No Shortage of Work
All caregivers told our marketer they enjoyed working the amount of weekly hours that best suited their lifestyle. During busy family times, some work as few as 8 hours a week. Others request that Love 2 Live load them up with 40 (or more) hours per week. We also can be flexible with the duration of shifts. “Love 2 Live is able to give me longer shifts, which is great!” Beth says. Some caregivers might only be available to work 4-hour shifts in order to care for their children; others like to put in a whole day or work only overnight shifts.
The loss of a client doesn’t necessarily mean an interruption in income either. If senior clients unfortunately pass away, Love 2 Live supports Home Care Aides emotionally, but also financially. We work quickly to find new clients for them to care for. Lisa remarked, “Love to Live is very sympathetic, yet they also help me find new clients so I won’t be out of work.” Khadega added that after the pain of losing a senior, “Love 2 Live always found me another client right away.” Given the Silver Tsunami upon San Diego and all of the United States, we don’t see the demand for senior caregivers drying up any time soon.
Love 2 Live Makes Becoming a Paid Caregiver Clear and Comfortable
Office Manager Frani, Founder Sheila, Jean (retired), Director of Operations Kevin
If you’ve ever considered becoming a paid caregiver, you should not only consider if it’s the correct path for you, but also which agency will look out for your best interest. Love 2 Live Care Services goes above and beyond for our employees. We focus on making this career fun, flexible and rewarding.
So, what are you waiting for? Contact Love 2 Live Care Services today at 619-291-4663. You can also send your resume to [email protected] and we’ll contact you!
