When considering how to be a homemaker, it’s important to look beyond the dated stereotype of the housewife. Homemaking is the art of making a home a clean, safe, and pleasant place to live in. It can involve cleaning, daily chores, maintenance, keeping household supplies well-stocked, and organizing a household budget and routine. Taken together, that’s quite a skill set! Most people engage in at least some homemaking as part of their daily lives, but anyone who has been the primary homemaker for their household understands how much work it entails. Nonetheless, it can be extremely rewarding labor, especially when you see everyone in the household happy and safe.
Unfortunately, homemakers often don’t get the recognition they deserve. Gender discrimination has a tendency to under-value the work done by women in the home. According to recent research from Oxfam, women and girls around the world perform 12.5 billion hours of unpaid care work every day. Even if this work would be paid at only minimum wage, their annual contribution to the global economy would be worth at least $10.8 trillion.
This situation is changing, however, especially as gains are made toward a more equitable society. In the US, anyone with homemaking experience, including displaced homemakers, are embarking on rewarding careers as caregivers for an aging population and even getting paid for the homemaking labor they do for their older or disabled family members. For example, Nova Home Care Colorado offers homemaker services and welcomes applications from anyone with paid or unpaid homemaking experience, no matter their gender.
What Is A Displaced Homemaker?
When a full-time, stay-at-home unpaid homemaker loses the income previously provided by the breadwinner of their household, that person can be categorized as a displaced homemaker This may occur through divorce, bereavement, or other unexpected circumstances. Someone made a displaced homemaker in this way can find themselves in a vulnerable position as they face a competitive job market without being able to demonstrate a paid employment history.
A displaced homemaker in this situation can become a professional homemaker in Colorado by applying to work for a home care agency, where their skills and experience can earn them a competitive salary in an expanding industry. Furthermore, a home care agency can help displaced homemakers with elderly or disabled dependants by employing them to care for their loved ones.
How To Be A Homemaker: Duties, Qualities, And Skills
Homemaking entails a blend of physical, mental, and emotional activity. A good homemaker should ideally be nurturing, hard-working, and conscientious. The responsibilities of professional homemakers can include:
- Domestic Upkeep – Tasks such as cleaning, organizing, doing laundry, and managing waste disposal
- Meal Preparation – Meal planning, cooking, and adhering to specific dietary requirements as outlined by the client.
- Errands – Taking care of grocery shopping and ensuring a consistent supply of household essentials.
- Organization – Assisting clients with a schedule, as well as managing medication routines and appointments.
- Plant and Animal Care – Light gardening activities, as well as tending to the care and feeding of pets.
What Kind Of People Need Professional Homemaking Services?
There are many reasons why someone might need a homemaker to help them stay living at home by keeping it clean, safe, and pleasant to be in. These include:
- Seniors
- Individuals of any age with physical disabilities
- Anyone recovering from serious injury or illness
- Parents taking care of a child with special needs
A clean, tidy, and safe home lowers stress, raises the spirits of everyone in the household, and helps prevent accident or disease. However, customers who meet the above criteria may also need assistance with more than just housekeeping. That’s why most professional homemakers also train as caregivers in order to have more career opportunities.
Should You Combine Homemaking And Home Care?
The qualities that make one a good homemaker are also highly appreciated in a caregiver. Pursuing a vocation as an in-home caregiver can broaden a homemaker’s employment prospects, adding some variety to their workday and expanding their client base. Training as a caregiver who offers homemaking services offers the opportunity to work more closely with people and support your community’s vulnerable people.
Nova Home Care offers comprehensive training that includes the best homemaking practices for caregivers, such as devising optimal emergency exit plans within a residence, as well as everything one needs to know about delivering personalized care services. This training covers how to support clients with mobility needs as well as how to help them adhere to medication schedules and personal grooming routines.
Training And Benefits For Homemakers
Nova Home Care Colorado is always looking to recruit jobseekers with homemaking experience, especially if you are already caring for a loved one who needs help–we can arrange for you to get paid as a caregiver and homemaker for your family.
If you think you have the right qualities and experience to be a professional caregiver or homemaker, apply via our careers page or contact us online to find out more about compensation and benefits, including a competitive salary, health insurance, paid vacation, 401K, training, and support with obtaining government benefits for your family.