Supplies List for Caregivers at Home

Caregivers provide special services to the elderly, disabled persons or infants. Home caregivers primarily work at the client's home, servicing that client in nutritional and health needs, basic cleaning and grooming, housekeeping and errand help and emotional support either on a short-term or long-term basis. The supplies that a home caregiver needs are extensive yet necessary to ensure the safety of not only the client but of the caregiver herself.

Gloves

• Gloves provide protection against germs and contaminated material when working with clients. Caregivers should have disposable latex gloves, a polyethylene set and nitrate gloves available during each home visit. Wear disposable latex gloves if you are in contact with sores or bruises, during cleaning and grooming and when handling human waste. Wear polyethylene gloves, which are FDA-approved gauge gloves, when preparing, cooking and handling food. Use nitrate gloves, which consists of durable rubber, for cleaning up toxic materials.

Skin Care

• Anti-bacterial soaps, shampoos and lotions are common skin care supplies. However, a caregiver should always consider a client's individual skin care needs when washing and cleaning the body. Since many clients may be prone to sensitive or dry skin, varying skin ailments or bruises or rashes, non-scented anti-fungal cleansers and creams are most ideal. Alcohol-based, no rinse anti-bacterial sprays are also effective when having to sanitize a client and his area quickly.

Personal Incontinence Supplies

• Personal incontinence may afflict a client, and it is important to have sanitation tools readily available to proceed in the task of proper sanitizing. Many caregivers require that clients use special incontinence supplies to ease the cleaning task. Bed and scooper pan, sanitation wipes, disposable underpads, waterproof mattress pads, adult open-back gowns and disposable briefs and undergarments are some of the many supplies that home caregivers should have to service their client's needs.

Bandages

• Home caregivers may service clients that suffer from joint or knee/foot/leg injuries. Wraps are essential to have on hand, as they help to keep the client's specific body part in position, speeding up the healing process. Most caregivers will use elastic wraps, anywhere from 4 to 12 inches in length, to bandage stiff joints or leg injuries. Gauze tapes, adhesive patches designed to cover open sores and non-woven, precut gauze--used to absorb fluids--are all recommended supplies to care for wounds.

First-Aid

• Every home caregiver should have a first-aid kit readily available with basic supplies. The kit should include anti-bacterial sprays and anti-septic wipes, antibiotic ointment, extra bandages, gauze, facial masks, scissors and tweezers, Aspirin and a separate CPR kit used for urgent medical care.