So the caregiver stays with me

Sometimes it's exasperating - at first the search takes forever to find the right caregiver for your relative or loved one. But then - easy come, easy go - it's over after just a few weeks. It's often just the little things that make it difficult to work together smoothly or

 

How to live together. We have interviewed some of those affected and compiled a few points that will help you to find the right caregiver, or to retain them in the long term.

 

Magnifying glass lies on a blue surface that magnifies details.

Allow time for familiarization

Who is interested in the care of a relatives in need of care bringing home support in the form of nursing and care into the home is an exciting time right from the start.

 

Many things are new, especially in the beginning, strangers such as doctors, chauffeurs or even potential nursing staff often come into the familiar surroundings of the home, who are not yet familiar and who influence and disrupt the usual daily rhythm.

 

In any case, both sides need to allow for a bit of time to get used to the situation in order to find and retain the caregiver in the long term. Initial difficulties are usually resolved by slowly and carefully getting to know everyone involved. In this way, the wishes of all parties can gradually be met and nothing stands in the way of a smooth start.

 

Is the chemistry between everyone involved right?

The sympathy between the person being cared for and the caregiver is one of the most important factors for good cooperation. Care requires a lot of trust - does the person in need of care have this trust?

 

If you notice that there is tension, it is best to ask this question in the course of an open conversation. Even if the nurse is providing care, the interpersonal relationship is crucial to the success of the collaboration.

 

Hands pour green and blue chemicals into a flask to create a reaction.

 

Humans are - fortunately - sometimes fundamentally different. Even if the caregiver is competent and very reliable, it can always happen that things just don't work out between people. But as mentioned, this problem can theoretically be solved quickly if it is addressed openly. This is another step towards ensuring that the caregiver can not only be found, but also retained.

 

It is often the behavior of the person in need of care that has a negative impact on the interpersonal relationship. In some cases, uncontrolled, hostile or even aggressive behavior is also a manifestation of the respective illness and has a strong influence on the relationship with the caregiver.

Language barriers and cultural differences

If you are looking for nursing staff from abroad, you should have a satisfactory to good knowledge of German. If there are language barriers, communication problems can quickly become a problem.

 

It is important that the caregiver has sufficient command of the language to be able to respond to the wishes and needs of the person in need of care. Tips and tricks for caregivers to quickly Learning a new language you can read about in this post.

 

Two people working on a document together outdoors while one person takes notes with a yellow pen.

 

In the same way, accommodation or food can become a barrier between the individual parties. Everyone has different eating habits and requires different accommodation. It is best to clarify these points in advance during the initial discussions. This way, such problems can be clarified, prevented or usually solved in advance.

 

Check your requirements

Happy caregiver accompanies elderly woman on a walk after shopping.

 

Not least, an agreement on the activities to be carried out is also essential. It is often unclear to many people in need of care or their relatives which tasks actually fall within the caregiver's area of responsibility.

 

Often too much is expected. In most cases, this is also due to the communication between the parties involved. It is best to clarify in advance which tasks the caregiver will and will not take on. The carer - even if they are on site 24 hours a day - is not a family member and is here to care for the person in need of care. Both sides need to clearly define what is expected and what is possible from the outset.

 

We have already written a detailed article on the areas of responsibility that should never be assigned to a nurse. You can find this here.

 

Working hours and fair pay for nurses

Other factors that have a direct impact on caregiver satisfaction are working hours and pay. It is immensely important that enough breaks are planned, especially in serious care cases. Everyone needs a few minutes every now and then to recharge their batteries and then continue working with vigor.

 

In Austria, it is now regulated by law: working hours may not exceed 128 hours in two consecutive working weeks, including standby duty.

 

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Another factor is pay. There is a statutory minimum wage rate in Austria, which clearly must not be undercut. However, a higher wage can of course be agreed.

 

Here it helps if you consciously put yourself in the role of the care worker and look at the pay objectively. Even if the work is fun, the chemistry between the people involved is right. Low pay can still cause dissatisfaction and thus have a negative impact on long-term collaboration.

 

Nora focuses on communication

Communication - and better too early than too late - is still the number one problem solver. If you address possible influencing factors from the outset and try to get them out of the way, you have already taken the right first step towards a frustration-free and probably long-term collaboration.

 

With noracares, both parties therefore make their requirements, prerequisites and expectations known right from the start. In this way, the Matching happen accurately and the needs of both sides can be satisfied optimally and without a long search.

 

In the course of getting to know each other during further discussions, you can clarify all open questions so that nothing stands in the way of a good collaboration. Register so register with noracares right now and start your care search.

 

Graphic of nurse Nora with a stethoscope around her neck and the text 'Nora's conclusion' on a green banner. Closing remark or summary in the health sector.

 

Competence - professional and also human. While the first - i.e. professional competence - is expected of the caregiver and is of course of inescapable importance, human competence should be expected of everyone involved.

 

As a relative, it is also important that you always pay attention to human interaction. The people involved sometimes live closely together and this situation requires sensitivity, patience and human warmth.