Working in Residential Care Services
Residential care services provide safe and supportive living environments for individuals who need extra help with the tasks of daily living. Professionals in this healthcare field improve residents’ quality of life by facilitating social and recreational activities, nutritious meals, access to healthcare services, and more.
Demand for residential care is growing rapidly due to the rising number of older Americans and the increasing need for long-term care services. This translates to stable job security and fulfilling career opportunities for those interested in pursuing a career in healthcare. Professionals employed in residential care settings often experience rewarding workdays, stimulating team collaboration, flexible schedules, and more. A role in residential care can also be a great first step to long-term career advancement—opportunities for promotion and specialization in different care areas are not uncommon for residential care specialists.
If you’re looking to enter or advance in this exciting field, read on to learn about the fundamentals of residential care services and how to make a living as a residential care professional.
What Are Residential Care Services?
Residential care services include a broad range of healthcare and social services administered to people with physical or mental health barriers who are unable to live independently. These services are often provided in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, retirement communities, and group homes.
Most people in residential care environments receive assistance with activities like exercising, bathing, eating meals, dressing, and taking medication. But it’s not just daily needs. Residential care services may also include social support and forms of recreation that help create an atmosphere of comfort and belonging. In a growing healthcare industry, there are all kinds of ways for aspiring caregivers to make a positive difference for those they tend to.
Are Residential Care Services a Good Fit for You?
The idea of being a professionally trained helper might sound enriching. But before deciding on a career in residential care services, you should familiarize yourself with some of the day-to-day responsibilities of a care provider.
Common duties of residential care workers include the following:
- Helping clients perform daily living activities such as washing, dressing, grooming, and toileting.
- Assisting clients in developing and improving life skills like cooking, cleaning, budgeting, and paying bills.
- Establishing personal treatment regimens in collaboration with doctors, nurses, and social workers.
- Extending emotional support to clients via positive encouragement and stress-relief techniques.
- Administering clients’ medications according to prescribed schedules.
- Providing housecleaning services and maintaining an organized living environment.
- Scheduling and attending appointments with healthcare providers.
- Communicating regularly with clients, family members, staff members, and other healthcare professionals.
How Residential Care Compares to Other Care Environments
Residential care shares many similarities with other types of healthcare environments such as hospitals and clinics. Both require comprehensive record-keeping, constant attention to detail, and unwavering empathy and compassion for clients. Residential care workers should maintain accurate records of client care, including medication schedules, treatment plans, and progress notes. These workers must also pay close, considered attention to the needs of their clients each and every day.
Proper, clear, and effective communication is crucial in residential care, just as it is in other healthcare settings. Plus, to ensure that clients’ unique needs are met, care professionals diligently follow treatment plans developed by an interdisciplinary team of nurses, doctors, and other caregivers.
One way that residential care differs from other types of healthcare is in its unique, client-dedicated services in a home-health setting. This level of prolonged personal care allows workers to develop strong relationships with clients, helping them build trust and a feeling of security in their living spaces.
At the most basic level—and unlike in hospitals—residential care workers assist with personal needs and life skills that clients may not be able to manage on their own. Cleaning, running errands, managing finances, transportation—these and more are all examples of what residential care workers do to help their clients maintain some level of independence, engage with their community, and enhance their quality of life.
Pros and Cons of Working in Residential Care
Like any other profession, a job in residential care services has its share of drawbacks in addition to its benefits. As you prepare to embark on your career path, keep in mind the following potential pros and cons of working in residential care:
Pros
Helping People in Need
Many people find joy and fulfillment in helping those who can’t fully help themselves. Residential care services offer scores of opportunities to aid and support individuals in need.
Building Strong Relationships
If you’re hoping to forge tight-knit bonds with clients, patients, and coworkers, residential care is one of the best fields in which to do so.
Performing a Variety of Tasks
With so many ways to serve, you likely won’t experience monotony in the daily work of residential caregiving.
Cons
Difficulty Achieving Work-Life Balance
Depending on your schedule and how dedicated you are to your job, you may encounter a degree of work-life imbalance, especially if you decide to work overtime.
Becoming Too Attached to Residents
It’s possible to grow too attached to residents and other clients, making it difficult to say goodbye or part ways when either you or they move on.
Dealing with Unpleasant Scenarios
By its very nature, residential care isn’t the most glamorous work. Some daily tasks like helping clients bathe or dress may feel uncomfortable or disagreeable until you grow accustomed to the job.
Skills Needed for Residential Care
Successful residential care workers rely on a combination of soft and hard skills in their everyday routine. These skills include the following:
- Empathy. Showing empathy and compassion toward residents lies at the heart of everything professionals in this field do.
- Communication. Strong written and verbal communication allows residential care providers to correspond and collaborate effectively with others.
- Time management. Some caretaking responsibilities take priority over others—being able to manage time well can increase on-the-job efficiency.
- Leadership. Many residential care professionals supervise teams of caregivers, so they need to show initiative and lead by example.
- Medication administration. A basic understanding of clients’ medications and treatments—as well as knowing how to administer them—is essential.
- Interpersonal skills. Clients will be much more comfortable and at ease if residential care workers are warm, welcoming, and friendly.
How to Become a Residential Care Professional
To become a residential care professional, you should first determine the type and amount of education that aligns with your career goals. After studying, you should continue to expand your skill set as you immerse yourself in a direct-care job role that suits your interests. Below are the typical steps to become a residential care professional:
- Earn a high school diploma or GED. This is generally considered the minimum educational requirement to work in a residential care facility.
- Pursue a healthcare degree. Many residential care professionals earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing, health and human services, social work, psychology, or another similar subject. A degree provides a deeper understanding of the field and may lead to more opportunities for career advancement.
- Develop the right skills. Residential care workers need proficient communication skills and should focus on developing empathy, compassion, patience, and a calm response to crisis situations.
- Gain experience. Some residential care facilities expect new hires to have a baseline level of experience in the field, which can be gained through internships, volunteer work, or entry-level jobs.
- Complete any required certifications or licenses. Due to some state requirements, a residential care professional may need to obtain a license such as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), or a Registered Nurse (RN) certification to work in a residential care home or facility. Be sure to check your state’s requirements.
Achieve Your Professional Caregiving Goals
A career in residential care can be incredibly rewarding and packed with opportunities to serve and advocate for those who need support. But where’s the best place to start?
Consider WGU for a flexible, affordable healthcare degree program that can prepare you for long-term success. Our healthcare programs are designed with input from industry leaders and experts. That means you’ll learn only the most relevant, job-ready skills that employers are looking for.
And with WGU’s competency-based learning model, you can progress through your online coursework as quickly as you master the material, potentially saving time and money by graduating more quickly.
Learn more today.
