Building Trust: The Relationship Between Personal Care Assistants and Patients

Whether you (or your loved one) need help with domestic chores around the house or daily tasks such as washing and grooming, there are many benefits tied to hiring a personal care assistant. For example, this often means that they can access the support they need to age in place, something which 77% of adults aged 50 and above would like to do.

However, in order to get the most out of these services, it's important that you’re able to form a strong relationship with your carer.

Why is the relationship you share with your personal care assistant important?

The relationship you share with your carer or the person in charge of your loved one’s care is important because this a relationship where trust is non-negotiable, especially when you consider the fact that you are letting them into your home.

Furthermore, whether they’re helping with medication management or simply providing you with company when you need it most, you need to be able to rely on them.

Finally, studies have found that "a trusting relationship is pivotal for older people to accept care that is proactively offered to them." After all, it means that you know that they are coming from a good place and are operating with your best interests at heart.

How to build a strong, trusting relationship with your personal care assistant.

Fortunately, there are many steps that you can take to build a strong, trusting relationship with your personal care assistant or support worker.

• Hire a reputable personal care assistant. One of the easiest ways to ensure that you feel fully comfortable around your personal care assistant is to ensure that you hire a highly qualified professional, who has worked in this field beforehand. This way, you can rest easy knowing that they’ll be able to offer you comprehensive care and support, no matter how complex your needs may be. However, there are other things that you should look out for in a carer, such as their ability to respond to challenges or their general attitude and temperament.

• Be clear about what you want and need. In order to trust that your personal care assistant is able to provide for you, you need to be honest when it comes to letting them know what you want and need. This way, they can tailor their support services to your wishes, and you know that your needs will be well-catered for. This, in turn, will strengthen the relationship you share while also allowing you to feel much more confident in your decision to hire a personal care assistant.

• Get to know them. Generally speaking, the more we know about a person, the more we are able to trust them. As such, you should make a real effort to get to know your carer. For example, spend a little time during your appointments asking them how their day has been, or what plans they have in the coming days. If you live alone, getting to know your carer will also provide you with a sense of companionship, as it means that you’ve always got someone to talk to and confide in.

• Voice any concerns you may have. Being able to voice any concerns you may have can also help you to strengthen your trust in your carer. After all, they’ll then be able to make adjustments to your care that ensure your needs are met, giving you much greater peace of mind moving forward. This is also incredibly reassuring when it comes to managing your health, as you know that they are going above and beyond to provide you with the support you need.

• Be receptive to their help and support. While you may want to remain in control as much as possible, it's important to remember that your personal care assistant only wants what is best for their patients. Not only this, but they’ll also have undergone years of training in order to be able to work in this field. As such, whenever they offer up advice and support, its coming from the best possible place, and you must be receptive to what they are saying.

Final Thoughts.

Hiring a personal care assistant can be a big step, especially if you are someone who enjoys their independence. However, there are many benefits tied to accepting this kind of help and support, from improved quality of life to improved social interactions. As such, it is something that you should consider doing sooner rather than later.

However, in order to get the most out of their home care services, you need to build a strong relationship with your carer. This way, you feel more comfortable when letting them into your home and know that you can trust them to meet your needs, no matter how much they may change in the coming months or years.

Fortunately, there are many steps that you can take in order to strengthen the relationship you share with your carer, from getting to know them on a personal level through conversations to speaking up whenever you are dealing with worries and anxieties.

Remember that relationships work both ways. While they are there to provide you with comprehensive, tailored support, the more you put into building and maintaining a relationship, the more your trust in them will grow, and the stronger your relationship will become.

If you’re on the lookout for a personal care assistant but are unsure where to begin, we’re here to help. We’ve built a user-friendly online platform that allows you to search for personal care assistants and other care professionals in your local area so that you can find a carer as quickly as possible. If you’d like to find out more about our services, or are ready to kickstart your search, please do not hesitate to get in touch today.