Working with the elderly can be a rewarding--but trying--experience that takes patience and a positive attitude. Each day is different, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Caring for the elderly will build your character, teach you important life experiences, and provide you with job security. There are always job openings in elder care.
Instructions
1. Decide where and how you want to work in elder care. You could work as a live-in caregiver in an elderly person's home or you could take a shift at a nursing home or retirement village.
2. Research positions for which you are qualified. Some home-health agencies will hire employees without a nurse's aide certificate, while others may require it. All nursing homes require certification for anyone who deals with patients. Certification can cost $300 to $900 depending on state regulations. According to the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants, nursing homes must provide training for their employees.
3. Take stock of what you have found. If you are forced to pay for your certification and cannot afford to, home-health care may be more to your liking. If you like the idea of in-home care but do not want to be a live-in worker, consider working for a home-health agency. These agencies assign employees to certain patients, allowing the worker to check on the patient in the home and move on to the next. Note, however, that certified workers tend to be more easily hired and make more money.
4. Prepare yourself before applying. Background checks and drug screenings are standard practice in the elder-care hiring process. Every state requires you to be at least 18 to work or be certified. Applicants must have their high school diploma, and some facilities even require completion of basic college courses. Facilities need to see demonstrated experience in care giving. Consider volunteering at a nursing home or getting your CPR certification to help boost your resume.
5. Visit nursing homes or retirement centers to find your match. Make a list of your five favorite facilities and ask for an application for each. If you are hired at a nursing home, the facility will train and certify you--usually in exchange for a promise to remain for a specified period of time. For example, some facilities will certify you free of charge as long as you provide six months of service.
6. Attend a community college training program or sign up for an online program if you are not able to be certified through a health-care facility. Your state agency for nurse's aide training can provide information on certification courses as well as grants or scholarships. Find you state agency through the National Network of Career Nursing Assistants website (www.cna-network.org).
Tags: nursing home, nursing homes, Career Nursing, Career Nursing Assistants, elder care, National Network