Caregiver Training
Our Caregiver Training Experience
It is very important to us at Right at Home that our caregivers feel safe, confident, and prepared to care for our clients. As part of our orientation process, we require hands-on training regardless of an employee’s level of experience or educational background. Skills need to be demonstrated by the employee with one of our caregiver trainers.
This takes place at our main office in an area with the equipment and supplies most commonly seen in the homes of our clients. For example, there is a Hoyer lift and hospital bed to learn the proper and safe way to transfer someone who lacks mobility. Other types of transfers learned are standing pivot and slideboard transfers used when someone has some ability to assist the caregiver. These are practiced between the hospital bed and a wheelchair or commode.
Many times, our clients are at risk for falling so it is imperative that our caregivers know how to walk with someone using a walker or cane and a gait belt to prevent falls while at home or out in the community.
Learning these techniques using proper body mechanics protects both the client and caregiver.
Personal Care
Personal care training continues with learning how to give a bed bath, perineal care and incontinence management as well as the use of a commode. Proper positioning of a client in a wheelchair or bed is practiced promoting good posture and prevent pressure sores.
Companion Care
Companion care training involves learning how to make a bed, puree foods, and the basics of housekeeping. Making beds and changing linens can be challenging to do when a client is bed-ridden so we want our caregivers feeling confident with these tasks.
Our Right at Home office has a full kitchen so cooking skills can be reviewed as needed.
Encouraging Communication
During orientation and throughout one’s employment with us, we encourage our Care Team members to call the office staff for any assistance during a shift. And we want them to feel comfortable just stopping by the office to be taught a certain technique or review a skill.
Each of our office staff have caregiving backgrounds and can problem-solve with any of our employees to get a job done safely.
Ongoing Training Opportunities
Beyond the initial orientation process, we offer on-going training with quarterly meetings, seminars, or classes with guest speakers. On-line topics through Right at Home University are always available as well. Sometimes on-site field training in someone’s home is required for some of our more unique client situations.
The bottom line is, we strive to build a Care Team with compassionate, trained individuals so we can deliver the mission of Right at Home every day.
