What is a Caregiver in Assisted Living in Arizona and What Are Their Qualifications?

Caregivers are a crucial component to assisted living homes. They’re the ones making sure their patients have support and assistance with their everyday living and overall well-being. They help with tasks like eating, bathing, and getting dressed, as well as giving emotional support and companionship.

In Arizona, caregivers must be at least 18 years of age, have their high school diploma or GED, and complete a program for caregiver training. There’s also a competency exam, and fingerprint clearance card that’s required before working with patients as a caregiver. The training they do to become a caregiver must be approved by the Arizona Nursing Care Institution Administrators and Assisted Living Managers, or NCIA for short. They also need to take CPR classes and have First Aid training, and take a TB test before taking on the role of caregiver in an assisted living home. 

If a caregiver wishes to work at assisted living homes, they may also need training in medication management, as patients can forget to take their medications or organize them properly. This training can be obtained from caregiver schools in Arizona, such as Assisted Living Training School. Consistent use of medications for ailments like blood pressure and diabetes is crucial to maintaining health and wellness, so having a caregiver on staff is important. 

If cooking or dietary needs are required in an Arizona assisted living home, a caregiver will be asked to get their food handler’s card. Food safety is important to maintain everyone’s health in the facility. They’re reasonably priced, and the course can be done online. Caregivers know the medications and ailments of residents, so they can create nutritious and balanced meals to help with overall health and not interfere with medications. A good example of this would be not giving grapefruit to a patient on blood thinners, which can interfere with medications. 

Caregivers also need to have relationships with the physicians and specialists for a patient or resident at an assisted living home. This ensures that all medical and safety protocols are understood and adhered to. Open communication helps everyone from the patient to friends, family, and loved ones, to caregivers and physicians. 

Physical safety is a top concern for caregivers, too. Part of their job is to prevent falls and injuries by making the environment safer for everyone. Making sure floors are safe from spills to prevent falls is another crucial job for a caregiver. They also need to see that bathrooms are clean and free from clutter, which could cause slips and falls.

Does your loved one have doctors appointments to get to? Some homes will provide the caregivers to accompany the client to appointments, and remain with the patient to ensure the physician’s medical plans are adhered to for the safety of the patient. 

Being a caregiver encompasses many aspects of the daily lives of those living in assisted living homes. They become sounding boards, companions, and a bridge from the family and loved ones to the assisted living home.