How To Become an Elder Care Provider

With the baby-boomers steadily aging, elder care services are in higher demand than ever before. Many seniors prefer to stay in the comfort of their own home and benefit from hiring a caregiver. Caregivers typically assist seniors with activities of daily living such as cooking, cleaning, errand running, and self-hygiene. The main requirements for success in this business are compassion, patience and communication skills.

Step 1

Review the laws in your state regarding elder care service providers, as well as elder abuse identification and reporting procedures. Some states may require individuals who provide direct care to elderly persons in their homes to receive certain training (i.e., CPR, first aid, behavior management), be licensed as nurse aides or be listed on a public registry of qualified care providers.

Step 2

Obtain any necessary training or certification. This usually requires only minimal education and can be completed during the process of opening your business. For example, nurse aide training usually lasts only 4 to 6 weeks, and CPR certification is often obtained through a single 12-hour course.

Step 3

Decide which services you will/won’t be able to provide. This is also a good time to think about a pricing structure and how you would like to be paid and how often.  

Step 4

Consider purchasing liability insurance for your business and for your vehicle if it will be used to transport elderly clients on errands, to the doctor, etc. You may also wish to become bonded for extra security and protection.

Step 5

Now its time to find some clients! Sign up on ElderCare.comand find local matches for individuals who are looking for someone with your skill set. Once you have started working, make sure to get some great references. This is a highly relationship based business and if you can have current/past clients vouch for your service, it’s much easier to expand your business.

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