Upgrade Your Skills With This Caregiver Certification

As a caregiver, you know you’re always learning and evolving in your caregiving journey. At Trualta, we know that it can feel overwhelming at times. You may be asking yourself:

• Am I doing this right?
• Is learning on the job enough? 
• Is what I’m doing safe for my care recipient (or patient) and me?
• Am I providing the best quality of care?
• How do I know whether I’m learning what I’m supposed to know? 
• When will I be finished learning? 

In this article, we’ll review how upgrading your caregiving skills through certification can boost your confidence, improve the quality of care you provide, and open up new opportunities for both personal and professional growth.

Changing Your Perspective Of Caregiver Learning

Unfortunately, the answer to the last question is that we’re never truly “finished” learning–which isn’t necessarily a bad thing! In fact, you’re probably learning even when you don’t realize it. Whether you’re a family caregiver researching a new health care acronym that the doctor mentioned last week, or a home health aide following a physiotherapist’s instructions for a patient’s exercise program, you know that caregiving is an ever-changing learning experience. 

It’s all about perspective. Seeing yourself as a lifelong learner is a sure-fire way to be always building and upgrading your skills. This can offer you numerous benefits–especially in your role as a caregiver. Ready to dive deeper into this skill-building mindset? Let’s take a closer look. 

A Rise In Caregivers

Caregiving is a growing field. In 2023 in the US alone, there were 53 million people who acted as caregivers for their spouse, older adult parent or relative, or child with special needs. This number has been steadily rising over the past few years. 

For professional caregivers, there were 3.5 million personal care aide (PCA) and home health aide (HHA) jobs in the United States in 2020. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that there will be an additional 1.1 million of these positions by 2030. 

With the rise in caregivers comes the increase in need for caregiver training. Research has shown that interventions that help caregivers gain knowledge and confidence can help the person they care for receive safer and more effective care. This is where a caregiver certification course can help! Caregiver certification courses are designed to train caregivers on a variety of health and care topics. The information can meet the caregiver training needs of:

• New caregivers
• Experienced caregivers
• A family caregiver
• A professional caregiver in caregiver jobs like:
  • Personal Care Aide (PCA)
  • Home Health Aide (HHA)
  • Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)

Learn more about what you can learn from a caregiver certification course.

5 Reasons Why It’s Important To Upgrade Your Caregiving Skills

With the right guidance and support, the path to professional and personal growth through caregiver training doesn’t have to be as exhausting or daunting as it sounds. Here are 5 reasons why upgrading your skills by becoming a certified caregiver can help both you and your care recipient or patient:

1. Keep Up With Your Care Recipient’s Changing Needs

Whether it’s a new diagnosis, a change in condition (like dementia), or keeping track of an adjusted dosage of medication, your care recipient’s needs are likely to evolve over time. As a caregiver, keeping up with these changes can feel overwhelming. Upgrading your skills all in one caregiver course can not only help reduce some of your stress, but can help you ensure you’re prepared for changes that could come your way. Here are some examples:

• Dealing with an emergency situation, like a fall, natural disaster, or basic first aid
• Managing communication challenges in care
• Supporting your patient and their family through end-of-life transitions

2. Stay Up-To-Date On Caregiving Best Practices 

Whether you’re working as a professional like a home health aide or are an unpaid family caregiver, you want to ensure your care recipient is receiving high-quality care. This is where it’s important to stay up-to-date on best practices in caregiving.

However, doing this kind of research on your own can be overwhelming and time-consuming–never mind boiling it down to something that’s digestible and ready to use with your care recipient! A caregiver certification course can help you ensure you’re learning skills to support quality care and use proper techniques.

Remember: it’s important to keep in mind that your state, home care organization, and profession may have different rules and regulations about the kind of education and training professional caregivers receive, as well as the standards they follow. Be sure to check these, as well as ensuring that the training program you choose meets your continuing education requirements (if applicable).  

3. Reduce Stress & Provide Better Care

Getting a good understanding of your caregiving strengths and where you need to refine your skills can help you feel like a more qualified caregiver. Upgrading your skills can help you feel more competent and confident in the care you’re providing to your care recipients or patients. This has been shown to help:

• Lower caregiver stress response
• Increase health-related behaviors
• Increase positive responses to providing care
• Reduce stress via healthy coping strategies

4. Set Yourself Apart & Stand Out

It’s no secret that getting additional certifications and training demonstrates your commitment to personal and professional growth. This can show other caregivers, colleagues, and superiors that you’re competent and prepared to take on challenges. This may help you down the path of opportunities like: 

• Exploring a professional caregiving position
• Career advancement
• New job opportunities
• Specializing in a specific area of care or population

5. You Can Fit It Into Your Busy Schedule

Getting additional caregiving training doesn’t have to be hard. There are caregiver certification courses offered online, which can help you fit skill-building and continuous learning more easily into your schedule compared to in-person learning opportunities. 

Final Thoughts

It’s important to remember that a caregiver certification course won’t teach you the specifics about what your care recipient needs to treat or manage their health condition–the healthcare team is the expert there. It also won’t teach you your care recipient’s unique personality traits, habits, and preferences–that’s where your expertise comes in!

However, what a caregiver certification course can offer you are helpful tools and techniques to amplify and refine your skills. Learn other ways you can maximize your potential.

Whether you want to explore upgrading your skills as a paid professional or simply want to become a better family caregiver, a caregiver certification course is the next step in your caregiving journey. Ready to take the next step? Check if you have free access to Trualta’s caregiver training program and certification offerings.

References

1. Guardian (2024). Standing up and stepping in: A modern look at caregivers in the US: Guardian’s annual workplace benefits study. https://connect.guardiangroupbenefits.com/l/503851/2023-12-15/6yw1b6/503851/1702675399bBkGiG78/Guardian_12th_Annual_WBS_Standing_Up_and_Stepping_In_1215.pdf 
2. US Aging (September 2022). Caregiver needed: How the nation’s workforce shortages make it harder to age well at home. https://www.usaging.org/Files/Workforce-Issues_508.pdf 
3. Boost Home Healthcare (2024, March 21). The essential role of home health aides. https://boosthomehealth.com/the-essential-role-of-home-health-aides/ 
4. Reinhard SC, Given B, Petlick NH, et al. Supporting Family Caregivers in Providing Care. In: Hughes RG, editor. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2008 Apr. Chapter 14. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2665/ 

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