What Does it Take to Be a Personal Care Aide?
Personal Care Aide Job Description Assist the elderly, convalescents, or persons with disabilities with daily living activities at the person’s home or in a care facility. Duties performed at a place of residence may include keeping house (making beds, doing laundry, washing dishes) and preparing meals. May provide assistance at non-residential care facilities. May advise families, the elderly, convalescents, and persons with disabilities regarding such things as nutrition, cleanliness, and household activities.
Life As a Personal Care Aide
- Participate in case reviews, consulting with the team caring for the client, to evaluate the client’s needs and plan for continuing services.
- Perform housekeeping duties, such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes or dishes, or running errands.
- Care for individuals or families during periods of incapacitation, family disruption, or convalescence, providing companionship, personal care, or help in adjusting to new lifestyles.
- Transport clients to locations outside the home, such as to physicians' offices or on outings, using a motor vehicle.
- Prepare and maintain records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
- Provide clients with communication assistance, typing their correspondence or obtaining information for them.
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Skills Needed to be a Personal Care Aide
When polled, Personal Care Aides say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Types of Personal Care Aide Jobs
- Patient Sitter
- Direct Support Professional
- Personal Attendant
- Direct Care Worker
- Personal Care Attendant (PCA)
Personal Care Aide Job Outlook
In the United States, there were 2,016,100 jobs for Personal Care Aide in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 38.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 777,700 new jobs for Personal Care Aide by 2026. The BLS estimates 414,300 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Personal Care Aide are Virginia, Arizona, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Maryland, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Personal Care Aides Salary
The salary for Personal Care Aides ranges between about $18,740 and $31,650 a year.
Personal Care Aides who work in Alaska, North Dakota, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
How much do Personal Care Aides make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $19,250 |
| Alaska | $33,840 |
| Arizona | $24,440 |
| Arkansas | $21,390 |
| California | $27,210 |
| Colorado | $26,410 |
| Connecticut | $27,300 |
| Delaware | $23,840 |
| District of Columbia | $30,440 |
| Florida | $23,390 |
| Georgia | $22,540 |
| Hawaii | $27,530 |
| Idaho | $22,970 |
| Illinois | $24,600 |
| Indiana | $22,830 |
| Iowa | $25,050 |
| Kansas | $21,920 |
| Kentucky | $25,740 |
| Louisiana | $19,300 |
| Maine | $25,490 |
| Maryland | $26,910 |
| Massachusetts | $29,080 |
| Michigan | $24,230 |
| Minnesota | $26,260 |
| Mississippi | $20,800 |
| Missouri | $23,020 |
| Montana | $24,250 |
| Nebraska | $26,230 |
| Nevada | $23,580 |
| New Hampshire | $26,900 |
| New Jersey | $29,890 |
| New Mexico | $21,020 |
| New York | $27,640 |
| North Carolina | $21,660 |
| North Dakota | $32,890 |
| Ohio | $23,530 |
| Oklahoma | $20,270 |
| Oregon | $26,980 |
| Pennsylvania | $24,880 |
| Rhode Island | $27,190 |
| South Carolina | $20,990 |
| South Dakota | $24,400 |
| Tennessee | $21,060 |
| Texas | $19,960 |
| Utah | $25,740 |
| Vermont | $30,750 |
| Virginia | $21,240 |
| Washington | $29,140 |
| West Virginia | $20,760 |
| Wisconsin | $24,250 |
| Wyoming | $26,780 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Personal Care Aides
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Personal Care Aides may use on a daily basis:
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- MEDITECH software
Becoming a Personal Care Aide
Education needed to be a Personal Care Aide:
What work experience do I need to become a Personal Care Aide?
Where Personal Care Aides Are Employed
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Similar Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Personal Care Aide might also be interested in the following careers:
Those who work as a Personal Care Aide sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
Image Credit: Sgt. Courtney Richardson, 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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