Caregiver (Begeleider (zorg))
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A caregiver is a healthcare professional who works with different target groups, such as children and adults with multiple disabilities, people with mental health problems, the elderly, the homeless or with asylum seekers. All these different people live or stay in a residential group, institution or reception centre. The most important task of a caregiver is to support and guide these people. Within the work of a caregiver, self-reliance also plays an important role, because it is important that people can save themselves as far as this is possible. In general, the activities of a caregiver consist of care, observation, support and guidance work. The specific activities can differ per caregiver, because not all people need the same form of guidance. The substantive activities of a caregiver therefore depend on where the caregiver works. The general term for caregivers is also called personal caregiver specific target groups or, for example, group caregiver. The name caregiver should therefore be seen as fairly general, because there are many different types of caregivers within healthcare. Depending on the type of guidance, it may also be that a caregiver must have different training courses. Guidance can also be seen as personal coaching, aimed at teaching skills or self-reliance. Being able to offer spiritual and emotional guidance can also be important as a caregiver. Guidance is a broad concept that applies to different target groups, who may need different ways of guidance. For example, guiding people who stay within the psychiatry department is very different from guiding elderly people within a nursing home.
A caregiver is therefore a care worker who works with different target groups. Which specific guidance a caregiver will offer can differ per institution and residential group and may require different competencies as a caregiver. For example, working with disabled people is different from working with problem youth, despite the fact that both target groups may have to deal with behavioural problems. Within all the activities of a caregiver, observing residents, clients or patients is an important task. If the caregiver identifies certain problems, it is the caregiver who will report this in his report, so that this can be discussed later. As a caregiver, in many cases you are also responsible for maintaining contacts with other stakeholders, such as general practitioners, doctors and family members. The activities of a caregiver can be called broad and are not only limited to care tasks. Think, for example, of organizing activities within the residential group or institution, so that people do not get bored and stay active. In addition, it is conceivable that a caregiver of older people regularly deals with the elderly, so that they do not sit inside all day.
WHAT DOES A CAREGIVER DO
What exactly a caregiver is responsible for can differ per caregiver. For example, a social counsellor cannot simply be compared to a pedagogical employee, because a pedagogical employee does more than just guide people. A social counsellor is usually only responsible for supporting activities. Think, for example, of supporting people who have problematic debts, brain injuries or have an intellectual disability. A social counsellor can deal with many different people who have a distance from society. In general, caregivers have to deal with many different care workers and specialists. Think, for example, of psychiatrists, occupational therapists, exercise therapists and pedagogues. A caregiver within the care sector may have to deal with people of all ages with a mental, physical or sensory disability.
VARIOUS TASKS OF A CAREGIVER ARE:
- Coordinating care
- Assisting clients or patients
- Supporting clients or patients
- Observing clients or patients
- Consulting with other specialists
- Helping with personal development
- Working on self-reliance
- Possibly taking care of clients or patients
- Coaching clients or patients
WHAT DOES A CAREGIVER DO:
TRAINING TO BECOME A CAREGIVER
If you want to work as a caregiver, it is best to follow the MBO personal caregiver training for specific target groups at level four. This course generally takes four years, depending on your previous education. During the study, the first year will be general and from the second year a specialization and level will be chosen that suits you. During the training you will have to do regular internships at most schools. During the training you will learn, among other things, to help people with problems and to approach them in the right way, how to deal with certain situations and how to draw up a treatment plan for the clients. The chosen direction will determine which specific training you will follow as a caregiver, such as working with the elderly, the disabled, asylum seekers, addicts or, for example, homeless people. In addition, there are also plenty of external training institutes where you can follow a course. Accounting is also important as an entrepreneur.
COMPANIES WHERE A CAREGIVER CAN BE EMPLOYED
As a caregiver, you can work for different institutions, which depends on the specific programme. Think, for example, of hospitals, nursing homes, addiction clinics, asylum seekers' centers, homeless shelters and boarding schools. A caregiver can also work as a social worker or as an ambulatory caregiver. In that case, you usually have to deal with clients who stay at home. A caregiver can also work as an entrepreneur. In some cases, a caregiver can also be regarded as a volunteer.
COMPETENCES CAREGIVER
As a caregiver, it is important to carry out your work in a professional manner, but with the right personal distance. In general, communication can be regarded as an important competence, because you have to deal with many different clients, patients, care workers and care managers. In addition, you must be stress-resistant and have self-control. If you work as an independent entrepreneur, networking can also be important. Generally important words are coaching, sensitivity, planning, organizing, motivation, insight, listening, collaboration, consultation and inspiration.
LABOUR MARKET PERSPECTIVE AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AS A CAREGIVER
The labour market perspective of a caregiver within the healthcare sector is very good. Within the healthcare sector, there is a high demand for well-trained caregivers. Obtaining work as a caregiver will therefore not be a problem at all. Which can it be important that you have the right training. The career opportunities of a caregiver are generally limited if you do not have additional training. A caregiver can act as a team leader or as a department manager.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT AND SALARY CAREGIVER
The specific employment conditions as a personal caregiver cannot be indicated, because the position occurs at many different institutions. A personal caregiver will earn between 1800 and 2700 euros gross per month depending on age and responsibilities as a caregiver. As an independent entrepreneur, the profession does not occur as far as we know, and there is therefore no salary indication to give.
The content on this page has been automatically translated from the Dutch language. For this reason, texts and videos on this page may contain small errors.
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