Ravenna – As America’s aging population grows, a local senior care company is gearing up to meet the expected need for services. The Home Instead Senior Care® office serving Portage County anticipates adding up to 30 professional CAREGiversSM to its staff by the end of 2015.
By 2050, it is predicted that the senior population will more than double from the 2010 numbers with a projected estimate of 88.5 million people aged 65 or older. As these seniors age, they often need help with their daily activities. In fact, about 29 percent of the U.S. population reports that it currently spends an average of 20 hours per week providing care for a chronically ill, disabled or aging loved one.
The demand for professional caregivers will continue to grow as they are an important component of the care continuum for seniors, helping seniors age safely in their homes while lightening the load for their family members.
Whether a senior just needs some help running errands and doing some light cooking and cleaning, or needs round-the-clock care, having a professional CAREGiver can make a huge difference in the life of a senior and their family members, says Therese Glorioso, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving seniors in Portage county. The type of person who typically excels in this industry is compassionate and enjoys helping others. Those are the main requirements for the job. Beyond that, they could be a recent graduate, someone between jobs or someone who just wants to give back. It’s really a broad range.
Tina McMullen who has been a Home Instead CAREGiver for eight years, says that one of the things she likes about her job is the flexible schedule.
“Being a CAREGiver has given me a good work-life balance that a lot of people I know don’t have in their jobs”, she says. “Plus, it’s just really rewarding to get to know my clients on a personal level and know that I’m making their lives better.”
The home care jobs that are available do not require prior training. Rather, newly hired individuals participate in the Home Instead CAREGiver training program to equip them with all the knowledge they need to get started. CAREGivers also have the opportunity to receive additional training throughout their careers in such areas as Alzheimer’s care and Hospice care.
“We keep up on all of the latest news and industry standards in home care,” says Glorioso. “And our training program helps to ensure that our CAREGivers are getting the information they need to better support seniors and their families.”
For more information on the Home Instead Senior Care® network, please visit http://www.homeinstead.com/CAREGIVER/JOB-REQUIREMENTS/ or call 330-297-1700 or 330-995-1522.
