In-Home Care for Wheelchair Users: Support & Assistance

Wheelchair-bound patients who are able to stay at home may require a caregiver who can attend to their needs throughout the day. A caregiver is supervised by a registered nurse and assists with tasks such as lifting the patient from the wheelchair to his bed; with grooming and bathing; and helps with household chores, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Caregivers are available through public and private agencies, and are certified to take care of a number of patients at home through the organization.

Instructions

• 1

  Be prepared to be on call at any time. According to the National Institutes of Health, caregivers must be available to respond to a patient's call 24/7.

• 2

  Listen to the patients with compassion. Mentally ill, severely weak or elderly patients require lots of patience to maintain a healthy relationship while caring for them.

• 3

  Take care of yourself. According to the NIH, it is easy to ignore your emotional and physical well-being when caring for someone else, but it's important to maintain a positive attitude and healthy diet.

• 4

  Create a checklist of chores to be completed when you first arrive at the patient's home, and double-check the list prior to leaving at the end of the day to ensure everything was successfully accomplished.

• 5

  Always follow the private or public agency's rules and regulations on caregiving to avoid issues that may put your job at risk.