When it comes to home care, you and your caregiver have a relationship that walks a fine line between intimacy and professionalism. Your caregiver performs tasks that are personal, so establishing a good relationship with them will encourage open and honest communication. Although they may feel like a friend, they are and should always be a professional. Here’s some advice on fostering that special relationship.

Be sure you’ve made the right choice in caregiver.

Don’t be afraid to speak up. If you feel that your caregiver is not a good fit, it might be a good time to move on to someone else. There is no shame in starting fresh. Talk with us at NEILS about making any changes. It can be hard to connect to a caregiver that is not a good fit for you and your family, so make a decision sooner than later.

Be open to a caregiver’s concerns.

Caregivers often observe things that no one else does. Be open to their concerns if they have questions about what they are being asked to do. It’s important to take these concerns to your CDS Coordinator at NEILS so we can review the situation. If they see a problem that needs attention, it may be for good reason!

Create an environment of mutual respect.

Caregiving can be a hard and sometimes tiring and thankless job. Show respect through your appreciation of a job done right. A respectful environment will make giving feedback to your caregiver much easier and make the caregiving situation as comfortable as possible. Telling your caregiver how much you appreciate the attention to detail and caring attitude can go a long way.

In a home care setting, a good caregiver relationship is integral to creating healing and support. Although this unique relationship between employer and caregiver can be challenging at times, both individuals can take these simple steps toward improving the relationship and creating a healthy relationship that gets the job done.