Honest, Unscripted and Committed
Composting a post about caregiving. non-medical care, tips for seniors, or any topic really, can be difficult. I’m often trying to find the right words to best articulate what might be most helpful for me if I were reading a post and searching for answers about caring for someone in need of assistance. Something I’m always conscious about is the message getting lost in the post. Did I phrase things correctly, or does it sound too scripted and less honest?
Being the owner of a small business that places a lot of emphasis on emotional support when caring for someone, explaining how important it is to establish a genuine connection between caregiver and client, there’s a delicate balance between showing empathy and compassion without having that overshadow competence and skill, but I think it’s too important to understate.
Before you drop your car off at the shop for repairs, it makes sense that you observe the shop and make sure they’re professional and have a good record. Once they drive the car into the bay, there’s a level of trust that the mechanic is professional and competent and treats your car with respect. Imagine if the mechanic was entering your home, being introduced to your family, examining your private living space, interacting with neighbors, delivery drivers, your medications, and your personal information. This sounds a bit invasive, and my guess is, most people would be very selective about where they had their car serviced.
Because caregiving is such a personal interaction, the skills are what provides the security of knowing the job will be done right, but the professionalism, the empathy, the connection between caregiver and client are also very important in establishing trust. The skills are the pillars of any successful agency, but without trust, those are just attributes and I think they really miss the mark.
Finding the right people to provide care for your loved one should not be based on skills alone. Skills can be taught, but compassion and empathy have to already exist. I can teach a good person how to be a caregiver; I can’t teach a caregiver how to be a good person.
Having caregiver and client establish a connection requires trust. Knowing you have someone that can do the job well, but also makes you feel comfortable, listens to you and actively encourages and supports your well-being truly matters. It’s important to follow procedures and standards, especially when it comes to safety, but “care” is part of the word “caregiver” for a reason. Care is what makes the process really work.
So, if you’ve taken the time to read any of our posts, I hope you’ve noticed a common thread. I’d like to thank you for reading our posts, every one is written with passion and they all share the same message; care is what Searchlight Senior Services is all about.
We know how much your loved one matters, how important they are, and why you want them provided with the very best care. I know this on a personal level, and I am always thoughtful of the vulnerable position a family is in when seeking the support of an agency to provide assistance. It’s never lost on me that we provide a service, and that service is based on what I would want for my family if I were in the vulnerable position of needing help again. Your loved one matters, family matters, you matter, and what matters to me most when I am creating a blog post about my business is that you know that Searchlight Senior Services will provide the very best care you can depend on, not because it’s our job, it’s because we know how much it matters, we are committed to serving your needs, and we truly care.
