Proper Bedside Manner for In-Home Care Clients

Working as an in-home care specialist in Philadelphia can be a beneficial and rewarding career. Not only do you get to help make someone’s day easier and brighter, but it is also the kind of job that probably isn’t going to go away anytime soon, as a good portion of the population is aging. However, there are many things that go into being a quality caregiver, and bedside manner is probably one of the most important things to keep in mind. There are many things that you as the caregiver should do to make sure you have a great bedside manner.

Smiling at your patients can be an important part of doing the job of caregiver. You want to genuinely smile when you see them so that they feel like you enjoy spending time with them instead of feeling like they are just burdening you. For many elderly patients, it is already embarrassing enough to ask for help without feeling like you may be a burden to the people who are supposed to be taking care of you.

Make sure that you are focused on taking care of the elderly patient when you are with them. It is not the proper time to worry about your own personal problems or pay attention to anything other than the patient. This can help them know that you don’t see it as a waste of your time, and if you are paying attention to them you can notice important details. Active listening can also be an important part of in-home care that goes along with maintaining focus, because you want to be sure that you are comprehending what the patient is saying to you to the best of your ability.

As with any job that you will do, showing respect should be a given when you are a caregiver. Some of the people you see may have memory issues, and others may have physical limitations. It should be important to keep this in mind and be patient and understanding at all times instead of being rude or getting impatient if your patient doesn’t remember something.

The last step is to ask questions. You can ask questions about how the patient is feeling, what they’ve been up to since you last saw them, what kinds of things they like to do currently or liked to do in the past, and more. Asking questions is a way to be engaging to your patient and you never know what kinds of things you can find out from them.

As an in-home care specialist, one of your top priorities should be your bedside manner. These quick tips can help you go a long way toward improving yours if it could use some help.