Caregivers

How to get to know your caregiving client

Getting to know your client is one of the most rewarding parts of being a caregiver

Older people often have a lot to share about their lives. So, when you become their caregiver, a lot of them are very excited to have someone new to talk to.

After all, for many of them, a caregiver is the only person that they interact with in a day. It’s important that a caregiver really puts effort into getting to know their client.

Below, we are going to tell you some tips on how you can best get to know your client. When you get to know them, your days at work will be as enjoyable as possible.  

Tip #1:

Tell your client you’re looking forward to getting to know them. You should also ask them if there is anything you should know about them as their new caregiver. 

To do this, you can say:

  • “I am excited to meet you and start working with you”
  • “Is there anything that I should know about you as your new caregiver?”

Asking both of these things will let them know that you’re friendly and that you want to provide good care. Once your client knows you want to provide good care, it will be easier for them to open up to you. The two of you can get to know each other very well this way.

Tip #2:

Ask your client what games they like to play, if any. 

Examples of games to play are:

  • Uno
  • Dominoes 
  • Scrabble
  • Any kind of card game

It’s possible your client will have games in their house that they like to play. If not, maybe they will request a game that you have at your house and don’t mind bringing in to work.

On the other hand, if they mention a game you don't have, let your manager know. Then, your manager can talk to your client’s family about getting the game for them.  

All in all, playing games with your client is a great way to make your time with them fun. It’s also a good way to pass time.

We strongly recommend playing games with them because it’s one of the best ways to get to know your client.

Tip #3:

Ask your client about their life.

Good topics can be asking them about:

  • Their childhood
  • Their children
  • Their  family
  • Their favorite memory from a certain time in their life

As a note of caution: always make sure you’re careful when asking about a client’s husband or wife. We recommend you’re careful in case they may have passed away recently -- which is common for older people who have caregivers. 

Asking them about their past, though, is a great way to get to know them and a great way to learn about new things. 

Once you learn more about your client’s life, you will see how the elderly tend to have many stories to share. You will also see that it excites them to share. You may even learn important life lessons from these stories. 

Tip #4:

Ask your client if they’d like to do anything specific during your time together. 

Examples of things they may like to do with you are:

  • Watch a movie
  • Go for a walk nearby
  • Talk about a specific subject, like one of their hobbies

Just asking them about what they’d like to do goes a long way to show you care. Once you ask them what they’d like to do, they will feel very grateful to have someone willing to help them do the things they want. It’s hard to do many things they once enjoyed as they get older. 

All in all, asking your client what they’d like to do is something they will really appreciate. It will also create a strong relationship between the two of you.

In summary:

In order to get to know your client, what is most important is that you spend time talking to them and doing activities that they enjoy. 

We recommend that you first let them know you’re excited about being their new caregiver. We also recommend you put effort into playing fun games with them. Another thing we recommend is that you spend time hearing stories from them about their life. And finally, we recommend you spend time asking them what activities they would like to do with you. 

The elderly oftentimes do not have many people that visit them anymore, due to their age. When you become their caregiver, they will really appreciate it if you try to get to know them well.

Knowing your client well will make their life in their later years more enjoyable and your job as a caregiver much easier.

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