Carers spend a lot of time with their customers, so it’s important they are honest and dependable. They should be able to keep confidential information private and they should never take advantage of their customers.
Carers should also be respectful of their customers’ homes. This doesn’t mean they can’t joke or enjoy a friendly relationship but they should remember that it’s still a professional environment.
Honesty & Integrity
Honesty and integrity are essential traits that foster trust and reliability in relationships. They also help build trust and a sense of responsibility in employees. Honesty means being genuine and free of deception. It involves telling the truth without compromising ethical and moral standards. It also implies being steadfast in one’s moral principles even when nobody is watching.
In nursing, honesty is particularly important since patients may be nervous or anxious. Carers who are honest with patients can make them feel confident that they will be told the truth and that their needs will be met.
Integrity is similar to honesty but encompasses a broader scope of moral uprightness and consistency in behaviors and beliefs. It can be displayed in isolated actions but is reflected in consistent patterns of behavior.
Empathy & Compassion
An empathetic carer will have a genuine interest in their customers’ wellbeing and will be aware of any changes that happen. It could be a new pressure sore starting on a customer’s skin, or even just noticing something that needs to be reported.
Having empathy and compassion for your elderly clients can be one of the best qualities that a carer can have. This is because it helps them to understand the emotional journey that you may be going through as you age, allowing them to relate to your needs and support you.
Having an empathetic outlook is not something that can be taught – it’s just something that you either have or don’t. All good carers should have empathy and compassion and show it in their daily work with you.
Local Presence & Local Reputation
A good carer will be active in the local community and be known for delivering great customer service. They take the work they do seriously and understand that it is a professional vocation, not just a job.
This is why they actively connect with the people they care for, listen to their concerns and do their best to deliver a high standard of service. They also tend to hold qualifications in health and social care and/or specific training for particular health conditions like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
The importance of a strong local presence and reputation is something that multi-location marketers should consider. This includes having a solid review response system in place and encouraging reviews. The more positive reviews you have, the better your local search visibility will be.
Reliability & Punctuality
One of the most highly valued traits in not just care but in all roles is reliability. Carers are often working in the customers home, which is not just their place of residence but also their workplace, and should treat it as such.
They should always be punctual as a change to their customer’s routine can have far-reaching effects on their wellbeing. They should be observant and report anything that is out of the ordinary, whether it’s a new pressure sore forming on their client’s skin or an unusual change in their behaviour.
A trustworthy care organisation will also have a strong local presence and a positive reputation within their community, demonstrating their accountability for their service. This reassures families that they can trust the care they receive.
Availability & Flexibility
The best carers are always available when their customers need them. This means being punctual and attending their appointments as planned. Carers should also be respectful of their customer’s home. While they may joke with their customer and enjoy a friendly relationship, it is important to remember that the home they enter is their employer’s workplace and they are representing Helping Hands in their role.
For many vulnerable individuals, their care workers are lifelines to society. This can be particularly true for elderly people with disabilities, who may not have regular contact with family members and are reliant on their care workers to provide essential social interaction. A reliable homecare agency will be flexible and accommodate changes to routines with short notice. This is to prevent health consequences and preserve their dignity.Trusted & reliable Carers
