Being a caregiver requires technical medical knowledge, as well as being extremely organized and detail-oriented. Candidates must be ready to respond to numerous behavior- and activity-related questions due to the wide range of skills required for success in this position. In some cases, candidates may also be required to present credentials and successfully complete checks that confirm eligibility. In this article, we go over what to anticipate during a caregiver interview and how to respond to five typical questions.
- Caregiver.
- Self-Assessment.
- Review Role.
- How long have you been a caregiver for the Veteran?
- Does the Veteran currently live with you?
- How often do you provide caregiver support?
- How much support do you feel for your caregiver role?
VA Caregivers Program Process PT 3 – Interview w/ my Provider
Explain what qualities make you a good caregiver.
There is a subtle difference between what traits someone possesses and potential skills. Instead, imagine that the query is about the “attributes” that characterize a good caregiver.
This refers to the common practice of understanding your skills versus your attributes when looking for a job. The intrinsic personality traits known as qualities or attributes describe your general demeanor and behaviors. While competencies can be attained through learning, developing, and practicing skills—both hard and soft—attributes are personal characteristics you exhibit. Examples of traits that could be beneficial in the caregiving industry include:
Example: “I think my patience and kindness will be most helpful in this position.” When I worked as a caregiver in an elderly group home, I frequently worked overnight shifts alone on my floor. I once had a man who would constantly buzz me to attend to him, but when I got there, he would forget that he had just buzzed me for the same thing because he was suffering from dementia and memory loss. When he left the group home to live with a family member, he asked me to be his caregiver because of the kindness and patience I had always shown him. They hired me for in-home care. ”.
How do you deal with difficult clients?
It can be challenging to navigate questions with negative posturing because you always want to speak favorably about previous professional experiences. This is an excellent chance to respectfully respond to this question, exhibit composure, and demonstrate your diplomatic demeanor in high-stress situations.
Going into your interview with few prepared examples will reduce your likelihood of getting stuck on this question, and you can regain control of the conversation by directing it toward your prior experiences and achievements.
Example: “To respond to your question, let me give you an illustration from my early professional experience as a home health aide.
A client in my care became very agitated when I started my first job right out of college. I took a few steps back, making sure to maintain a neutral, unthreatening demeanor, and I invited family members in to help. I took my client’s hand, looked him in the eye, and knelt down to his level before explaining my purpose in a quiet, calm voice once he was at ease.
When I entered the room, doing this quickly became second nature to me. I would approach the client at eye level, extend my hand, and introduce myself and my plans for the day. He felt less stressed as a result, and over time, he started to acknowledge me as his caregiver. ”.
What are important skills for a caregiver to have?
Even though a question like this might come up at the beginning of the interview, a complete response still requires some careful thought. If this question is being posed to you, you should concentrate on measurable skills.
You can pick from a variety of skills that a caregiver should possess, but you’re being asked to choose the most crucial ones. Take a moment to think about all the crucial abilities that caregivers possess. In this situation, it might be wise to give priority to abilities that promote the patient’s mental and physical health, such as:
Example: “Caregivers must be good listeners and empathetic conversationalists. They ought to be meticulous, diligent problem-solvers, and technically proficient in medicine to use on patients as required. As a home health aide, I once worked with a client who was experiencing depression. I had a long, heartfelt conversation with him and found out he missed going outside.
Even though he was on bed rest, I helped his family move him into a room with a South-facing window so he could get more sunlight. I was able to use my communication and problem-solving abilities to give my client more peace, and I became aware of how crucial those soft skills are to the position. I also used my medical knowledge to assist him in reestablishing himself with all the tools required for success. ”.
Please submit your query or comment, and we will get back to you right away. If necessary, we will consult an expert for accurate response. The previous Q&A is to the right, and if further clarification is required, we may contact you. Inappropriate questions won’t get an answer, and questions that are similar won’t get more than one answer.
Call the social worker you spoke with on February 25, 2021#39, and inquire about your progress in the procedure. 100% P and T.
Mar 09, 2021#40 2021-03-09T17:21We have just under 160 days since the initial application. The social worker claims that the CEAT has had it for more than a month. I wish they would hurry up and just reject us if they were going to.
But when they didn’t even look at your records to see what you were, it’s in them unconsciously ridiculous. Dec 17, 2020#24 2020-12-17T17:33Not it is not required! Obviously they didn’t review the file very well. What else did she miss! 100% P and T.
Dec 11, 2020#6 2020-12-12T03:43At this time, I’m unsure if the social worker and occupational therapist have packaged their interviews for delivery to the local decision-makers. I’m therefore anxious to hear the social worker tell my wife and me that “it looks good for you.” The occupational therapist pledged to “do everything in my power to get you accepted into the program.” Maybe that’s the company line maybe not. We just have to wait and see. I posted everything that has occurred thus far so that others can get a sense of what occurs. Did you read the sticky post in the VA caregiver forum? 100% P and T.
Dec 12, 2020#7 2020-12-13T00:20Guys . I am aware that older disabled individuals can only enroll as of October. From what I’ve read here, it seems like the typical claim. Has anyone heard of a veteran achieving the desired outcome? It goes round and round and round; nobody knows where it stops. I believe that your wife or other caregiver, whoever it may be, should be eligible if you are 100% disabled and in a wheelchair. The gal who called on our interview was very sweet. That scares me. There is a time limit on how quickly the claim should be finished, but I’m sure that doesn’t matter. After the first two phone calls, did anyone submit release of medical records for my wife and I? GOOD LUCK TO ALL THAT APPLIED.
Application and Evaluation Process
The Caregiver Support Program uses the following steps of the evaluation process to determine whether a veteran is eligible for the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers. Standardized forms are used in the procedure, which are offered by the VHA and made available in patient records. The forms cannot be altered.
The evaluation process for PCAFC begins with the submission of your VA Form 10-10 CG, Step 1 below, for new applicants (including non-Post 9/11 veterans). The review procedure is handled by the neighborhood Caregiver Support Program for both new and Legacy applicants.
Click on the steps below for a more detailed description.
This form requests basic information about the veteran and caregiver, including the veteran’s service dates, rated disabilities, and other biographical and logistical details. It includes basic information about age, address, etc.
In this interview, both the veteran and the caregiver will be questioned. The interviewer might inquire about the veteran’s rating, their diagnoses, and the medications they are taking. You should check with the interviewer to make sure all of this information is accurate and complete even if they do not ask these questions because it is a crucial evaluation requirement. Typically, the VA CSP interviewer will simply copy and paste this data from the file. Again, once this data is entered into MyHealtheVet, you should carefully review it as it is not unusual to find errors that are best fixed at this time. Do not rely on the VA to provide accurate ratings, diagnoses, or prescriptions.
If the veteran sees outside medical professionals, this is also the time to inform the VA CSP. Please collect the veteran’s medical records from any outside practitioners, including community care physicians, if necessary. Do NOT assume that VA has them.
Both the veteran and the caregiver will be asked a set of standard questions by the interviewer, who is typically a social worker, regarding the veteran’s employment, education, history of substance abuse and mental health, etc. are. Following the history of pain, dietary concerns, daily diet, exercise regimen, etc., the interview will continue. The interview will also cover additional subjects like treatment objectives and health changes. If the veteran feels that the caregiver is supporting their treatment objectives, the interviewer will ask that question. The veteran will be asked one final question regarding the VA’s home services.
There are specific questions about how the caregiver helps with each ADL during the caregiver portion of the interview. If you have been doing this for a while, writing down what you do every day can help you remember everything you are doing to help people and how you do it. (Some of it gets so routine that you forget it’s a caregiver duty. ).
They will also inquire if the caregiver has any worries about the veteran’s sleeping patterns, memory, treatment objectives, safety, or other matters. They will also inquire if the caregiver has any plans in place should they need to be apart from the veteran. This is your chance to list all of your additional concerns about the veteran’s care or tasks that you carry out that you were unable to include in one of the answers provided above.
Unlike the Veteran Assessment, this functional assessment/interview is conducted by a different individual. Give thorough responses to any questions they may ask and provide information you believe is pertinent to the assessments they are conducting because they won’t have read your responses to the Veteran assessment.
A medical professional, most likely the nurse assigned to the Caregiver Support Program, must conduct the Veteran Functional Assessment. Each ADL and the Supervision, Protection, and Instruction criteria are defined in great detail by VA. (See the ADL assessment and SPI assessment sheets.) The CSP staff will ask the caregiver to describe each ADL they perform for the veteran. Be as specific and as expansive as possible. Explain why you must perform each task for the veteran. For instance, if you say I must clean the veteran’s bottom after he defecates every time, explain why—perhaps because he is missing both arms. Always describe what you do, why you do it, and how frequently you do it (every time, every day, every week, every month, etc.). ).
They will pose a series of specific questions during the assessment’s safety and supervision section. Expound on each and every question that is relevant. Include your actions, motivations, and frequency of use in your response. Never just say, “I help with medication management. Instead, say, “I assist with medication management of ___# of medications because the veteran is unable to do so due to __________, and I must do this (each time, daily, weekly, monthly – however often you must do it)” ” If meds are given, once a day say that. Describe why you must monitor the veteran’s medication intake if you do so. If the veteran’s friends and family need to be watched because they are susceptible to being taken advantage of due to poor judgment, let them know that and explain what disability makes that happen, how frequently it occurs, and the circumstances.
A series of inquiries regarding self-direction, exploitation, self-neglect, memory, etc. will be asked. Once again, be very specific. Indicate which diagnosis calls for each action and how often. After noting your responses, the Caregiver Support Personnel is required to give the veteran or caregiver a functional level based on each ADL or SPI (see the sheet on the ADL assessment and the SPI assessment). It is crucial that you include any worries or tasks you carry out that have not yet been discussed in the final paragraph. As soon as the information from this assessment is uploaded to MyHealtheVet, make sure to review it and correct any errors.
The Primary Care Manager (PCM) must be contacted by the Caregiver Support Program team in order to ask a few questions. Without a caregiver, would the veteran need to be institutionalized? and “Does the caregiver understand the treatment plan?” are two important questions that seem to be given the most weight.
Normally, this questionnaire is only sent to the PCM. However, it is strongly advised that you request the CSP to speak with the veteran’s other specialized medical professionals. For instance, if the focus of your caregiving is Alzheimer’s, suggest to the CSP that they speak with the neurologist who treats the condition. If a spinal cord injury is the focus of the caregiving requirements, the individual who manages the chronic pain, the physician who prescribes physical therapy, the physical therapist, etc. should also be contacted.
Consult the treating psychiatrist, psychologist, or LCSW (licensed clinical social worker) regarding mental health disorders, and ask them to provide a copy of the most recent neuropsychological examination. Keep in mind that the standardized evaluation form only calls for the CSP team and PCM to look back 12 months from the date the Legacy review began. You must therefore disclose to the assessor any particular issues that may not have been addressed in the previous 12 months but support the need for a caregiver, such as a neuropsychological evaluation, the loss of a portion of the brain or body, or the severity of a spinal cord injury. Do NOT depend on your doctors to do this paperwork. Check it for accuracy when entering it into MyHealthEVet and have it corrected right away if necessary.
The assessment is sent to the Centralized Eligibility Assessment Team (CEAT) once all of these components have been completed. At that level, a group of medical professionals who are not a part of the local Caregiver Support Program team make the choice. Your local team will inform you of the CEAT decision after notifying your team of the CEAT’s decision. A 90-day window is intended between the time an application is submitted and the initial approval or denial decision.
The veteran and caregiver must go through a few more steps after being accepted into the program before they can start receiving compensation. These include: (1) training for caregivers; and (2) a home health assessment of the veteran and the caregiver. This in-home evaluation makes sure the caregiver is capable of providing care in a safe manner (both physically and mentally). The application then returns to the CEAT for final approval following these steps. Pay is retroactive to the application date for the program.
Veterans and caregivers will be directed to the Program of General Caregiver Support Services if their request is denied.
FAQ
How hard is it to get approved for the VA caregiver program?
The veteran must have at least a 70% rating for service-connected disability. The veteran’s service-connected disability must be rated as “substantially” requiring care, and The veteran must have received continuous in-person personal care services for six months.
What is level 1 in VA caregiver program?
Level 1: The Primary Family Caregiver’s Stipend will be 62 for an eligible Veteran who is not deemed “unable to self-sustain” in the community. 5% of the monthly stipend rate.
How do you introduce yourself in a caregiver interview?
Tell me about yourself. SUGGESTED RESPONSES: “I appreciate the chance to interview for this caregiver position with your company today. I consider myself to be a kind, perceptive, trustworthy, and patient individual who offers top-notch care.
What is the monthly stipend for VA caregivers?
Consequently, at this rate ($34,916, divided by 12, multiplied by 0), the monthly stipend for a primary family caregiver of an eligible Veteran in Dallas, Texas, would be $0 625) was approximately $1,818. 54 in 2022.
