Career Overview
Provide personalized assistance to individuals with disabilities or illness who require help with personal care and activities of daily living support (e.g., feeding, bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and ambulation). May also provide help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry. Work is performed in various settings depending on the needs of the care recipient and may include locations such as their home, place of work, out in the community, or at a daytime nonresidential facility.
Also Known As
- Caregiver
- Home Care Aide
- Personal Care Aide
- Personal Care Attendant (PCA)
Alternate Job Titles
- Aide
- Blind Aide
- Blind Escort
- Care Caregiver
- Care Companion
- Care Provider
- Caregiver
- Caretaker
- Companion
- Companion Caregiver
- Convalescent Sitter
- Direct Care Staffer
- Direct Care Worker
- Direct Support Staff Member
- Elder Care Caregiver
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Prepare and maintain records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
- Administer bedside or personal care, such as ambulation or personal hygiene assistance.
- Perform healthcare-related tasks, such as monitoring vital signs and medication, under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists.
- Participate in case reviews, consulting with the team caring for the client, to evaluate the client's needs and plan for continuing services.
- Instruct or advise clients on issues, such as household cleanliness, utilities, hygiene, nutrition, or infant care.
- Care for individuals or families during periods of incapacitation, family disruption, or convalescence, providing companionship, personal care, or help in adjusting to new lifestyles.
- Perform housekeeping duties, such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes or dishes, or running errands.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Administer bedside or personal care, such as assistance with ambulation, dressing, feeding, or personal hygiene.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- English Language
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Deductive Reasoning
- Written Comprehension
- Speech Recognition
- Near Vision
- Speech Clarity
- Inductive Reasoning
- Written Expression
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Empathy
- Cooperation
- Dependability
- Optimism
- Integrity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Support
- Independence
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- MEDITECH software
Tools & Equipment
- Adjustable widemouth pliers
- Adjustable wrenches
- Alarm systems
- Automatic blood pressure machines
- Back braces
- Bed scales
- Bedpans
- Blood pressure cuffs
- Braille printing software
- Canes
- Crutches
- Digital cameras
- Digital video cameras
- Electronic patient thermometers
- Glucometers
Work Environment
- Physical Proximity
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
- Time Pressure
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Home Health Aides
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: Varies
Nursing Assistants
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $39,530
Child, Family, and School Social Workers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $58,570
Nannies
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $32,050
Social and Human Service Assistants
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $45,120
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.