Home Support Assistant for the Elderly
A home support assistant for the elderly is a qualified professional who provides support services to the elderly and most needy at home. As there is a lack of qualified professionals in this area, it is an excellent job opportunity for those looking for something in the social area. In addition to providing services at home, they also work in support and shelter institutions for elderly people, such as nursing homes and day centers. The objective of home support assistants for the elderly is to ensure the well-being of older people at all levels, from physical to psychological and social. If you like helping those who need it most, and if you have a special affection for older people, then this could be a good career opportunity. Without a doubt, as there are more and more elderly people, due to the increase in average life expectancy, there is a growing demand for qualified professionals in the area. Do you want to know more about this profession? So stay with us and find out everything about this profession!
What does a Home Support Assistant for the Elderly do?
The home support assistant for the elderly provides support to elderly people in need in the comfort of their own home.
Many elderly people live alone and are therefore unable to do all household and even personal care tasks. Therefore, the assistant goes to these elderly people’s homes and helps them do their daily tasks, such as taking a shower, cleaning the house, going for a walk, going to the doctor, among others.
In addition to helping with day-to-day tasks, they play a fundamental role in the emotional well-being of older people, especially because many do not live with anyone, and assistants are the only people they talk to and socialize with.
Therefore, it is very important that you are a happy, cheerful, kind and loving person, capable of making these people’s days happier.
What are your functions
As a home care assistant for the elderly, you will be responsible for their well-being and ensuring their quality of life. As many elderly people are unable to do their tasks alone, you will help them, so that old age does not have to be too heavy a burden to bear.
Therefore, among the different tasks you can do, we talk here, for example, about:
Bathing
Preparing meals and helping elderly people who are unable to eat
Clean the house
Taking care of clothes
Help them move around the house when they can’t do it alone
Treating wounds and sores on the skin
Ensuring they take the right medications at the right time
Accompany the elderly on hygienic walks
Cheer up the elderly
Accompany elderly people to hospitals and health centers
Job Market
As we have already said, the population is aging from year to year. There have been so many advances in medicine that the average life expectancy is increasing regularly and this trend will certainly continue. This has caused older ones to last longer and, therefore, the need for special care is greater.
Taking into account the current family scenario, with children having their own home, working, and also having children, it is difficult to guarantee care for the elderly. Therefore, home support assistants for the elderly are important players in the well-being of these people.
In addition to working in home support, they can also work in:
Homes
Day centers
Geriatric Residences
Night centers
Community centers
Private clinics
Reception centers
Hospital services
Nursing homes
If you want to pursue this profession, you can work for companies dedicated to caring for the elderly, for state social support institutions, or you can choose to practice the profession as a self-employed professional.
How to become a Home Support Assistant for the Elderly
To be a home support assistant for the elderly, you need to have training in the area, in which you will learn how to provide care to elderly people, as well as people with motor and mental difficulties.
Therefore, you will learn to help older people with their daily activities, such as:
Hygiene Care
Mobilization and transfers of places (especially in cases of bedridden elderly people or those with motor limitations)
Skin care (in the case of bedridden people in particular, due to the high probability of developing sores)
Feeding care
First aid
To be able to take this course, you must be at least 18 years old and have completed your schooling. Typically, the home care assistant course for the elderly lasts 120 hours, and includes a further 120 hours of internship, although this may be optional. There are face-to-face courses (in the classroom), but there are already offers of e-learning courses (distance, via the internet).
Where to study to become a Home Support Assistant for the Elderly
United States:
United Kingdom:
Teesside University, Middlesbrough
Do you want to pursue a career as a home support assistant for the elderly? So be sure to look for a course that gives you the tools to practice this profession correctly. You’ll see that it’s worth all the effort, and seeing the smile on older people’s faces is priceless, that’s for sure!