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9 Reasons Caregiving Is a Great Career

By Eric Carter

Today, there are over 4.5 million caregivers across the United States. These individuals come from a variety of backgrounds, but they have all found immense satisfaction in serving others. While caregiving can be challenging at times, it can be very rewarding and provide plenty of career advancement opportunities. Here are some reasons to consider a caregiving career.

1. Personal Development

Caregivers learn many skills that transfer to their home and family relationships. They learn patience, compassion, communication, and other skills that help them be successful parents, spouses, and friends. During their shifts, caregivers may get to practice their cooking and cleaning skills. Plus, you might be able to pick up a thing or two from the clients you serve. 

2. Appreciation

There are many thankless careers out there. For example, when was the last time you got to say “thank you” to the individuals who collected your trash? Because caregiving allows you to work intimately with individuals and their families, this career is often full of appreciation. Caregivers may hear a “thank you,” receive a card, or get other forms of recognition from the families they work with. Even more valuable, though, is the look of gratitude in the eyes of the person they care for. This can make the hard work of caregiving extremely rewarding.

3. Deep Sense of Accomplishment

Caregiving is a very rewarding career field; you can truly make a difference in someone’s life. Seeing someone make progress, helping them live a higher quality of life, or noticing the sense of relief on a family member’s face can provide deep gratification and sense of accomplishment that you just don’t experience in other jobs. Becoming a caregiver is an emotionally satisfying experience and can provide a profound sense of purpose.  

4. Flexibility

While many jobs are locked into the traditional 9-to-5 schedule, caregiving offers flexible hours. You can work part-time or full-time, weekdays, weekends, mornings, evenings — it all depends on your availability. By working with an agency, you can easily get matched with clients who fit your schedule. This can help you maintain work-life balance as you look after your own children, care for family members, or go to school.  

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5. High Demand

Seniors are expected to reach 22% of the population by 2050. As the senior demographic grows, so will the demand for caregivers. As a result, caregivers will be in high demand across the country for years to come. You won’t have to worry about finding a new job if you move or need to adjust your schedule. Caregiving skills will always be required — even during a recession. 

6. Exposure to the Medical Field

Caregiving is often a stepping stone to healthcare professions. But it is also a great career in its own right. Working as a caregiver is an excellent way to expand your medical knowledge even though you don’t provide medical care. You may work with clients who have variety of medical conditions, and, therefore, will get firsthand experience with those conditions. You may also be asked to accompany your clients to medical appointments, where you can ask questions and learn more about a diagnosis.

7. Challenging

Some individuals are worried that every day at work will feel the same and that they will get bored with their career over time. But caregiving challenges you on a daily basis. Every day is different; every client is different. And you will be asked to perform a wide variety of tasks. For example, one minute, you might be playing a game with a client, and the next, you are helping to calm an outburst. You will need to exercise your creating-thinking skills as you approach different challenges with your clients. This can keep work interesting and help you continue to learn and grow.  

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8. Skill Specialization

Within a caregiving career, you can specialize in providing care for certain individuals, like seniors with dementia or children with special needs. Employers often have training programs to help you hone your skills and expand your knowledge. By specializing, you can ensure that you work with the types of clients you are most passionate about.

9. Work in a Home Setting

Instead of sitting at a desk all day staring at a computer, you have the ability to work in a home setting and do many day-to-day tasks. This could include going to the pharmacy, walking around the block, watching a movie, and more. A home can be more comfortable than an office setting. And it offers you a chance to be more physically active. However, as a caregiver, you may also provide care in other settings, like an assisted living facility. But you won’t ever have to sit at a desk all day!  

 A Caregiver Career with Caring 

Caring Senior Service is always looking for compassionate individuals to care for seniors in the communities we serve. We want every caregiver to feel like they are part of our family. To help provide excellent career opportunities that foster personal and professional growth, we offer our caregivers the following benefits: 

  • Specialized training 
  • A competitive salary 
  • Paid time off (PTO) 
  • Paid holidays 
  • Access to telehealth services 

We hope that you’ll consider caregiving with Caring as a career. Start your application today. 

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Tags: Caregivers