Personal Care Aide Career Guide

Overview

People who are ill, physically unfit or disabled in some way or the other require constant help and care. Personal care aides are trained individuals who help elderly people by assisting them in personal activities in homes, outside or any other place. A great deal of compassion and constant care are required to deal with the disabled; therefore, this career could be best for those who have these qualities. Furthermore, it is a career which has some enhancement options after getting experienced and skilled. So, in order to reach that point you must first acquire the required education and accumulate relevant work experience.

Job Duties

Personal Care Aides are also called personal care attendants or personal support workers. They are highly paid individuals and their work is to care for people who are not physically fit. Some patients are disabled while others may be chronically ill. Elderly people are also in need for these services. Their work is routine and is conducted on a daily basis. They give patients hygiene care. They wash their clothes and dishes and do housekeeping as well. Outside the premises, they go for buying groceries or supplies and then come back to prepare meals according to the patient’s health conditions.

Personal Care Aides may also give company to patients by talking and laughing with them; they also look after their leisure activities such as going for a walk and playing games with them. When patients need to visit doctors or physicians; these aides schedule appointments with them. According to state requirements, some can even give medical attention to their patients. Some employees even specialize in becoming a home health aide.

Career Outlook

Personal Care Aides work in clients’ homes, group home facilities and other care facilities. As the dependency of elderly and disabled increases; more and more individuals would be required in the future for this personal aide niche. As stated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2011, there were 820,600 personal care aides working in the economy.

Salary Outlook

Personal Care Aides earn on average $20,560 per year stated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2011.

Education Requirements

To become a specialist in this career, no formal education is required but mostly candidates acquire certificates or diplomas in healthcare. Others who do not obtain any education should be trained on-the-job where they gain all the skills by working under other aides or nurses. Their training also includes cooking and housekeeping duties according to needs of clients. Other techniques taught are coping with emergencies and learning safety methods.

Training may be provided by employers though in some cases you may be required to undergo State regulated training. Those who want advancement in jobs should get certified. The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) provides a certification to work.

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