While it’s hard to pick the number one most important caregiving skill, communication is a good contender.
Naturally, you must be able to communicate with the patient to understand their needs so you can best serve them. Additionally, you have to effectively convey information to any family members involved.
By keeping open and clear lines of communication, you can avoid confusion, frustration, and other issues while building trust with the patient (and their family, if applicable).
For example, a patient may be unable to complete a task on their own as quickly as they could with your help. However, allowing your patient to do it themselves — even if slower — helps them retain their sense of independence.