Senior Caregiver Certification Training Explained

Caregiving has become a profession, and like all professions, regulations have followed by state governments. The regulations provide guidelines for companies and individual caregivers to follow in an effort to maintain quality standards and safety for both the caregivers and the senior. And, of course, the state governments also collect fees to manage and enforce their regulations.

More and more states are passing legislation to require caregiver training as more than 10,000 Americans turn age 65 daily. The national home caregiving association created a baseline for caregiver training requirements and worked with their association members in each state to present legislation requiring training and licensing. Some state governments passed legislation outlining specific requirements for caregiver training while other states just said training is required. Meanwhile some states still have legislation pending.

What caregiver training is now required (as of August 2016) in each state?

Basic caregiver training skills are a standard requirement by licensed senior care companies, including national corporations and franchise companies with locations nationwide. If the state the senior care company operates in also requires training, then the company must follow the state’s training laws.

California: just passed Assembly Bill 1217 requiring 10 hours of caregiver training for new caregivers and 5 hours of annual training: first 5 hours include 2 hours of Orientation Training and 3 hours of Safety Training and the 5 hours of annual training can be in Core Competency skills.

Review the professional senior caregiver training laws in your state and purchase online caregiver training to become a certified senior caregiver.

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What are a caregiver’s job duties?

Senior caregivers provide many, many services to seniors. Anyone entering the senior care industry quickly learns there are a wide variety of caregiver jobs and caregiver job duties. Sometimes it can be a surprise to learn that professional caregivers must meet certain certification standards by taking training courses meeting state requirements. Then the caregiver must pass a competency test to verify their knowledge.

Caregiver job duties include the following:

  • Assisting with Activities of Daily Living (often called “ADL’s – see, senior care has hip abbreviations too. Definition of ADL = basic activities you do each day, such as getting up and showering, getting dressed, eating your meals, taking your medications, scheduling appointments, doing laundry, grabbing your mail….you get the idea – anything that can be difficult to do when you have health and mobility issues that limit your capabilities.
  • Personal Care: bathing and toileting assistance
  • Transfer and Mobility Assistance
  • Meal Preparation and Assistance
  • ADL assistant with bathing, dressing and grooming
  • Medication Reminders
  • Appointment Scheduling
  • Errands
  • Companionship
  • Maintaining Daily Care Notes
  • Specific tasks for Medical Conditions
  • Engaging in Physical and Mental Activities

Caregivers may begin caregiver training in the basic skills with an online course and continue learning by reading books and watching movies to understand how caregiving can be a unique journey for everyone.

 


Caregiver Training for Professional Caregivers Nationwide

Senior caregiver may take a basic skills training course online to meet the training requirements for many states, including for California, Georgia, Illinois, Colorado, etc. Washington state requires more training hours as their legislation for caregiver training was passed to include training for Medicaid caregivers.

California caregivers are the most recent to be required to have a minimum training of 5 hours prior to working with a senior client in their home and then 5 hours of annual training in core competencies.

Learn about caregiver training requirements and the basic caregiving skills as you begin a career in senior caregiving.

Purchase Online Caregiver Training to get started.

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Become certified caregiver with Caregiver Training University online training.


California Caregiver Training Requirements

Senior caregivers in California now must be certified for caregiver training meeting the states new requirements.

Senior caregivers working in homes in California must complete:
2 hours of Orientation Training
3 hours of Safety Training
5 hours of Annual Training on Caregiving Core Competencies

Members of the Professional Association of Caregivers receive online training and California caregivers may receive the 10-hour California training by Caregiver Training University.

Certified Caregiver Training

Certified Caregiver Training