Caregiver Myths vs Facts: What Families in Singapore Should Really Know

Choosing a caregiver for a loved one is an important and often emotional decision. Many families hesitate or feel uncertain due to common misconceptions about professional caregivers.

This article addresses the most common caregiving myths and explains the real facts, helping families in Singapore make informed and confident decisions about elderly care at home.

Myth 1: A caregiver is just another maid

Many families assume caregivers and domestic helpers perform the same role in the household.

Fact:

Vivacare caregivers are not domestic helpers by training or role.
They are formally educated caregiving professionals with healthcare-related qualifications and structured training in caregiving competencies.

Their primary responsibility is care—not household chores. However, Vivacare caregivers are willing to assist with basic household tasks directly related to the elderly they care for, such as maintaining cleanliness in the senior’s living space, to ensure comfort and safety.

Myth 2: Only nurses can provide proper care

There is a belief that quality care is only possible with hospital-level medical professionals.

Fact:

While registered nurses play a vital role in hospitals and clinical settings, most families require daily, consistent caregiving at home—not hospital-level nursing.

Vivacare caregivers are trained to provide responsible, non-clinical care at home, including mobility assistance, daily living support, basic health observation, and emotional reassurance. This ensures stable, familiar, and sustainable care in a home environment.

Myth 3: Trained caregivers are too rigid for home environments

Some families worry that professional training limits personal flexibility at home.

Fact:

Professional training enhances flexibility—it does not reduce it.

Vivacare caregivers follow structured care routines while adapting to household preferences, cultural norms, dietary habits, and daily schedules. Training enables caregivers to adjust safely and respectfully without compromising care quality.

Myth 4: Caregiving skills can be picked up on the job

Caregiving is often underestimated as something anyone can learn through experience alone.

Fact:

Caregiving involves safety, dignity, and responsibility. Without proper training, mistakes can result in falls, improper transfers, missed warning signs, or emotional distress for the elderly.

Vivacare caregivers complete 36 core caregiving competencies before placement, ensuring families never have to rely on trial and error.

Myth 5: All caregivers have similar backgrounds

Some assume that all caregivers offer the same level of skill and suitability.

Fact:

Each Vivacare caregiver is individually selected, assessed, and matched. There is no mass placement.

Caregivers are evaluated based on training background, caregiving aptitude, communication skills, and suitability for in-home care, leading to better long-term outcomes for families.

Myth 6: Professional caregivers are only for severe conditions

Many families believe caregiving is needed only when health conditions become critical.

Fact:

Families engage Vivacare caregivers for a wide range of needs, including supervising ageing parents, recovery support after hospital discharge, mobility assistance, companionship, and preventive care to maintain independence.

Professional caregiving is not only reactive—it is preventive and supportive.

Myth 7: A trained caregiver will replace family involvement

There is a concern that hiring a caregiver means stepping away from responsibility.

Fact:

Vivacare caregivers support families—they do not replace them.

They reduce physical strain, emotional stress, and uncertainty, allowing families to focus on quality time, emotional connection, and informed care decisions.

Myth 8: Hiring a caregiver is complicated

The caregiving process is often assumed to be confusing and overwhelming.

Fact:

Vivacare guides families clearly and responsibly through every step—from caregiver selection to onboarding—so employers feel informed, supported, and confident throughout the process.

The Vivacare Difference

Care is not a task.
It is a responsibility that deserves training, structure, and compassion.

Vivacare caregivers combine professional preparation with genuine empathy to deliver dignified, reliable care at home.

👉 View our featured caregiver profiles and take the next step with confidence.