Keeping up with the demands of work and balancing the needs of the family is tough for all of us. A majority of us are caught up with having to work extra hours to make ends meet. The downside to this is that we now have less time and energy to spend with our loved ones. Having a senior at home, or someone who needs special care and attention leads to the need for extra help.
The questions that then arise are: Do we require a Maid or a Caregiver? Are their duties the same? Knowing the difference between the roles of these two is key to providing the best care for you and your family.
The Maid
A maid or domestic worker’s duties are performing chores such as mopping, vacuuming, extensive cleaning, laundry, ironing, cooking, etc. The main duties of a maid are to ensure that all these tasks are done in a timely fashion. He or she is not focused on the well-being of one person but rather on the running of the entire household.
Maids, in general, do not have the proper training to provide elderly care. Instead, they may have gone through training to ensure that the household is cleaned and maintained efficiently.
The Caregiver
A caregiver is a paid individual who has been trained and equipped with the skills to assist the care recipient with their Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). This includes eating, bathing, getting dressed, continence, as well as moving around. Caregivers can also help with: dispensing medication, facilitating exercise, basic physiotherapy, and providing companionship. They are specifically trained in elderly care services and know how to handle seniors, including the right techniques to carry them without injuring them.
Key Issue: Can I ask my caregiver to do house chores?
People generally get confused between the role of a caregiver with that of a maid when it comes to housekeeping. Expectations must be set right from the start so that there is no disappointment.
The responsibility of the Caregiver, in relation to housekeeping, is to ensure that the care recipient’s immediate environment and belongings are kept clean. The Caregiver should also check that all areas affected during their duty are also maintained.
Some of the things that can be expected of the Caregiver include:
Caregivers are not maids/domestic workers, and should be allowed to focus on their core roles. Assigning them additional tasks that are not within their scope of work may distract them from their main responsibilities and possibly lead to dissatisfaction.
Contact us on 1300 22 8822 or drop us a message using the chat box on this page, to find out more about our caregivers and how they can help make life more convenient for your loved ones and you.
First Published on February 9th, 2023
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