Working tasks in homecare and elderly care
Working in homecare and elderly care is multifaceted. Due to the diversity of clients and tasks, a whole range of functions is required. From nurses to doctors and licensed practitioners, together they take care of the health and well-being of the elderly and disabled. A nurse is primarily there to provide help in the household, but also must be available to chat with the clients. Homecare and elderly care are indispensable for many people, because they can no longer function properly by themselves. Earlier, we introduced the elderly care system to you. This time we have compiled the most common job requirements below.
Homecare
Homecare is a type of care that is offered in a client’s home. When a client is in need of receiving homecare, a nurse will go to their home to help with ADL’s. However, the patient can also get help from a nurse who comes to inject the patient or help with the medication. Examples of medical care are preparing and administering medicines and wound care. A homecare nurse is therefore responsible for various supporting activities, so that clients’ lives are made easier. The exact form of home care is tailor-made, which differs per client. Homecare nurses have a high degree of independence, but you will not work alone. If a homecare nurse has questions or identifies any problems, he/she can call for additional specialized help. Think, for example, of district nurses, therapists or doctors.
Duties of a homecare nurse
A homecare nurse works for people in need, such as sick people, older people and people with disabilities. Making a simple chat and giving advice is also part of the duties. In homecare you will generally work with a life care plan, which includes exactly which activities must be performed for the client. deal with clients who need extra care but who do not stay in an institution, such as a care home.
Elderly care
Working in Elderly care differs from homecare as the people you care for are only senior citizens. Yet, elderly care can be a broad concept. It comprises all forms of care aimed at the elderly. This includes care, assistance and services. Furthermore, elderly care also encompasses care, nursing, home care, guidance, daytime activities or intensive care. Care can be provided for physical disorders, but also for psychological or social problems. Elderly care is all about delivering someone a lovely day. That sounds simple, but in practice it can be demanding. The conditions of your clients may vary a lot. It goes beyond just old age or rehabilitation. For example, some clients have dementia, a disability, illness or psychological problems. Therefore, homecare or informal care are solutions to longer independent living.
Reading behavior
Besides care, it is important to learn how to read behavior. Does a client require medication? Is this client getting too little incentive? Is the client bored? What would you do in these situations? Qualitative elderly care increases the self-reliance of the elderly. This can be at an elderly care home or with extra care in the house. Care starts with the recognition of problems that can lead to a reduction in independent functioning. By identifying problems, we can improve the quality of life of clients. Within the Netherlands, elderly care nurses are popular, because in many instances, clients do not have friends or family over every day.
Are you a nurse that is interested in working in Dutch homecare or elderly care?
Who you are is just as important as what you can do. Respect, trust and having compassion are needed to work in elderly care and homecare. Whether you just finished school or have a lot of experience in healthcare, at EMTG we are happy to be of service. The EMTG program provides Dutch language and culture courses. We will arrange housing, a job mentor and guide you through the process of settling down in the Netherlands. You can contact your local recruiter for more information.