A caregiver is one of the in-demand jobs in New Zealand. Adding to its empathetic and social side, this job has many advantages. It is time to research this career to understand its major missions, course and training programs, and salaries.

What Does a Caregiver Do?

As it tells from its name, a caregiver is a person who gives specific care to patients, older adults, orphans, and people with special needs. To understand the roles and responsibilities of this job, it's essential to take a look at the requirements listed in a caregiver job description. If you are interested in planning your career path and choosing your professional field, sign up for Fratres. This website will detail the roles and the responsibilities of highly demanded jobs in New Zealand. So, keep an eye on the latest updates on Fratres New Zealand.

In New Zealand, caregivers are considered social support workers, as they provide assistance, personal care, and post-surgical accompaniment. Their missions vary according to the place in which caregivers operate and the person's needs in charge. Although this job is not designed for a specific gender, the majority of caregivers are women. A caregiver is usually supposed to do the following:

1. Providing personal care daily: some people hire a caregiver to look after their parents or grandparents. This person takes care of them in terms of getting up, having food, medicines, going to bed, etc.
2. Interfering in a post-surgical or a recovery process: caregivers help preserve or restore autonomy by also providing nursing care to the patient who needs assistance.
3. Nursing orphan/ abandoned children or children with special needs: caregivers are not specialized in caring for older adults. They can also operate in foster homes and orphanages or be hired to ensure better care for children with disabilities.
4. Social life activities/ psychological support and accompaniment: caregivers can also be hired in rehabs or psychiatric centers in New Zealand. They help people struggling with trauma, depression, or addiction and interfere in the final stages of recovery, such as overseeing them after the recovery process. Caregivers encourage these people to have social activities and help them avoid isolation and go back to addiction/ depression/ trauma. They accompany them to go for walks, workshops, sports center etc..

Caregivers may have different work conditions. They can work:

• Full-time: they can be hired in public or private sectors and work full-time.
• Part-time: caregivers can operate a few hours a day, depending on the person's needs being helped and the degree of assistance.
• Live-in caregivers: caregivers can live in with the individual to provide a full-time service and care. In this respect, they can do various tasks that are not only specific to medical support. They can even do things on behalf of the disabled person such as meal preparation, shopping, pet care ( if the person has pets), look after children, drive them to school, etc.. Live-in caregivers can carry out minor administrative procedures on behalf of the person taken in charge. But, they cannot engage in banking transactions.

Caregivers work in various establishments and conditions. They work in public, private, non-profit, or profit organizations: associations targeting social aid and support. 

Skills and Personal Qualities Required in Caregivers:

 In New Zealand, there are many opportunities for caregivers to get hired. Adding to their qualifications and expertise, there are some skills and personal traits required for the job:

1.Know-how skills: caregivers should know how to deal with individuals in critical conditions, how to interfere at the proper time and give the necessary help.

2.Communication skills: in case of not working full-time or not being a resident at the patient's house, caregivers should determine the person's needs and convey the necessary information to those around him/ her to know what to do during their absence.

3. Empathy and kindness: caregivers should provide the necessary psychological care and support to contribute to better recovery or adaptation with the disability.

4. Availability: caregivers should be available at any time. They may receive an emergency call on weekends and holidays.

5.Coordination skills: caregivers are not nurses or healthcare assistants. But, their job is related to healthcare professionals as they have to follow the medical instructions to contribute to a recovery process.

Caregivers' Course and Training Programs:

In New Zealand, caregivers pursue a short-term training program, depending on the type of help they would provide. Caregivers course can be a period of nine or twelve months from approved public or private establishments. The course and the training programs are specific to each caregiver's type.

1.A Respite course: this program is designed for caregivers who work part-time and tackle personal responsibilities like feeding, dressing, grooming and bathing, etc..

2. A paramedical course: professional caregivers who are hired to look after patients follow a paramedical course. This course involves personal care for various patients' conditions such as post-surgical, burns, handicaps and disabilities, etc...

3. Social assistance training: caregivers get training in old homes to perform the duties of helping older adults and looking after them.

4. A psychiatric support and accompaniment: caregivers get a course to care for people who have Alzheimer, mental illness and provide accompaniment for them.

The professional requirement to get the job:

• Having a caregiver diploma: level 2 qualification enables caregivers to work as respite caregivers, while level 3 certifications is for social support and accompaniment caregivers.
• Completing training and internship.
• Have volunteered in social aid, childcare, personal accompaniment, etc...

Caregivers submit their CVs in caregivers service offices in New Zealand or profit/ non-profit organizations providing foster care. Do you want to boost your CV with volunteer experience? Take a look at; Volunteering in New Zealand.

Caregivers salaries in New Zealand:

The salary depends on many conditions: 

-The type of service that caregivers offer: respite caregivers get 15$ per hour, while accompaniment caregivers get up to 22$ per hour.

The qualification and experience: experienced caregivers with a healthcare and well-being certificate get up to 23$ per hour while freshers get 20$ per hour.

That was all about caregivers in New Zealand the requirements for this job. This job is also allowed for immigrants who meet the eligibility criteria and have equivalent diplomas.