Elder Caregiver Duties

Primary caregivers take care of elderly loved ones emotionally and physically. Secondary caregivers provide additional support to the elderly loved one, but they may live farther away. The goal of caregiving is to ensure that an elderly person is as independent and as comfortable as possible.

Food

• The caregiver must help the elderly person with meals, from grocery shopping to preparing nutritious meals. The caregiver must determine, with the help of the elderly person's doctor or nutritionist, what sort of menu is best, depending on the elderly person's health, mobility and dietary needs.

Medications

• Elderly people often need help with their medications. Depending on what health conditions may be involved, the elderly person might need the caregiver to help him keep track of what medicines are taken and on what schedule, or the elderly person might need the caregiver to give the medicines. Medication should always be administered in accordance with doctor's orders. Caregivers must also provide transportation for elderly people to and from doctor's appointments.

Personal Care

• Caregivers help elderly people with dressing and with personal grooming, including showering or sponge-bathing, shampooing, tooth-brushing and shaving. General mobility assistance may also be required, such as moving the elderly person from a bed to a chair, or into a vehicle. The elderly person might need help going to the bathroom or require incontinence care. If the elderly person spends a lot of time in bed, she will require skin care and frequent turning to avoid bed sores.

Companionship

• One of the most important considerations for elderly people is companionship. The caregiver should encourage the elderly person to be as active as possible, both physically and mentally, and lend compassion and moral support. Caregivers can share fun activities with elderly loved ones, such as reading out loud or playing games.

Household Duties

• Caregivers clean house, wash dishes, do laundry, take out garbage and run errands to pick up items the elderly person needs for his/her daily life. It's also important that the caregiver remember to pick up the mail every day.