Caregiver: Careers
Position Overview
What is a Caregiver?
Caregivers are compassionate and skilled professionals who assist individuals in their daily lives. Depending on the assessed needs, a caregiver provides support in various areas, including:
Home Health Aide (HHA)
Employment Requirements
To join International Quality Homecare as a Home Health Aide, specific qualifications are required depending on the state.
Wisconsin
Candidates must be a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA).
Minnesota
Applicants are required to complete the Skills Competency training conducted by our trainers, which includes a 50-question test, as well as online courses provided through Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC), totaling 12 hours and 24 minutes.
Training Topics
Home Health Aide Nursing Assistant Training
- Approaching Care for Dementia: 1.6 hours
- Approaching Care for Difficult Behavior: 2.5 hours
- Assisting With Activity and Exercise: 2.5 hours
- Meeting Special Care Requirements: 2.0 hours
Paraprofessional Healthcare Continuing Education
- Basic Infection Prevention and Control: 1.3 hours
End of Life: Paraprofessional & Volunteer
- What to Expect: Physical and Emotional Symptoms of Dying: 2.5 hours
Training is accessible online at RCTC Learn, allowing you to complete your education at your convenience.
How to Excel as a Home Health Aide
Continuous learning and skill enhancement are vital to excelling as a Home Health Aide. Engage actively with all required training and consider pursuing additional courses to broaden your knowledge and capabilities. While the company does not financially cover extra courses, they represent a valuable investment in your professional development
Providing compassionate, attentive, and detail-oriented care enriches the lives of the people we serve and enhances your personal and professional growth. At International Quality Homecare, we support your journey toward becoming an exemplary caregiver.
Individualized Home Supports (IHS)
Employment Requirements
For employment in Individualized Home Support, candidates must meet specific requirements tailored to ensure high-quality, personalized care for individuals living in their own or family homes. Detailed requirements may vary, but a commitment to compassionate service is essential.
Training and Testing
To ensure our staff provides exemplary service, we require a comprehensive 23-hour training program for all IHS employees in Minnesota. This training equips staff with the skills needed to deliver high-quality, personalized support.
How to Excel in Individualized Home Supports
Individualized Home Supports are designed to offer customized assistance and training to those residing in their own or family homes. Our services aim to elevate the quality of life for our clients by providing three distinct types.
Formal Training
- Provides skill-building and instructional support.
- Includes comprehensive education in community living service categories.
- Aims to help individuals acquire, retain, and enhance their community living experience.
Individualized Home Supports are designed to offer customized assistance and training to those residing in their own or family homes. Our services aim to elevate the quality of life for our clients by providing three distinct types:
Daily Living Skills (DLS)
Employment Requirements
Candidates seeking to provide Daily Living Skills (DLS) support within International Quality Homecare must meet the specified requirements to ensure they are equipped to assist clients effectively and compassionately. These requirements are uniform across Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Training and Testing
All DLS staff members are required to undergo comprehensive training. This training ensures that employees are well-prepared to support clients in various activities of daily living, providing high standards of care. Regular assessments and ongoing training are part of this commitment to quality service.
Comprehensive Daily Living Support Services
Daily Living Skills support is essential in helping clients with their routine activities, enabling them to maintain independence and improve their quality of life. Our DLS services cover fundamental daily activities, including:
- Eating: Assistance with meal preparation and feeding.
- Toileting: Support with bathroom activities to maintain hygiene.
- Transferring: Providing aid with moving from one position or place to another.
- Bathing: Helping clients with their personal hygiene routines.
- Dressing: Assistance with selecting appropriate clothing and dressing.
- Continence: Helping clients manage bowel and bladder functions.
To excel in providing Daily Living Skills support:
- Develop Strong Communication Skills: Ensure clear and compassionate communication with clients to understand their needs.
- Be Patient and Attentive: Care requires patience and attention to detail, ensuring clients feel valued and respected.
- Stay Educated: Engage in ongoing training and professional development to stay current with best practices in caregiving.
- Empathize: Understand and empathize with the challenges clients face, offering support that is both professional and caring.
This approach guarantees that we offer personalized and effective support, promoting the independence and well-being of those we serve.
PCA and CFSS
Employment Requirements
Minnesota
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, these are the requirements to be compensated as a Personal Care Assistant (PCA)/Community First Services and Supports (CFSS):
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Be employed by a PCA provider agency
- Successfully initiate and pass a criminal background study
- Enroll with the DHS as a PCA once all employment criteria are met
For individuals aged 16 or 17, pursuing a PCA role is possible with the following additional requirements:
- Employment with only one PCA provider agency that ensures compliance with current labor laws
- Supervision by a qualified professional every 60 days to support their growth and ensure quality care
Paraprofessional Healthcare Continuing Education:
According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, these are the requirements to be compensated as a caregiver using Medicaid:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Cannot be the spouse of the person needing care
- Complete all caregiver training
- Provide evidence of a tuberculosis screening meeting CDC guidelines
- Successfully initiate and pass a criminal background study
Wisconsin provides Medicaid waivers, such as Family Care, Family Care Partnership, and IRIS, which enable beneficiaries to direct funds to family caregivers instead of institutions.
PCA and CFSS
Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Human Services requires many individuals involved in PCA and CFSS services to pass a test. These online tests are free and ensure that our caregivers are well-prepared to deliver exceptional services.
Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services offers resources to help people interested in becoming a Medicaid-certified PCA. You can start by completing an online training webinar, which is an excellent tool for self-assessment.
To Excel as a Personal Care Assistant at International Quality, an Individual Must:
- Effectively communicate with the person receiving care and the PCA provider agency
- Provide covered PCA services in alignment with the person's PCA care plan
- Respond appropriately to the person's needs
- Report changes in the person's condition to the qualified professional
- Maintain daily written records including, but not limited to, timesheets
- Complete training and orientation focused on meeting the recipient's needs
- Be supervised by a qualified professional to ensure high standards of care
