Personal Care Aides: Job Description
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.
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The Daily Work of Personal Care Aides Take On?
Typical responsibilities of personal care aides span:
- 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.
- Provide clients with communication assistance, typing their correspondence or obtaining information for them.
What Personal Care Aides Need to Know
Successful personal care aides draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Personal Care Aides Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Aide
- Blind Aide
- Blind Escort
- Care Caregiver
- Care Companion
- Care Provider
- Caregiver
- Caretaker
Job Outlook
There are roughly 1,485,425 personal care aides working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +1.0% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Personal Care Aides
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $28,777 |
| Hourly median | $13.84 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $23,430 |
| 75th percentile | $34,124 |
| 90th percentile | $39,472 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Software Personal Care Aides Use
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of personal care aides is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Physical Proximity
- Contact With Others
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Exposed to Disease or Infections
- Time Pressure
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level personal care aides positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Social and Community Service Managers (Supplemental)
- Mental Health Counselors (Supplemental)
- Rehabilitation Counselors (Primary-Long)
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers (Primary-Short)
- Healthcare Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Social and Human Service Assistants (Primary-Short)
- Community Health Workers (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Future personal care aides often complete programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 31-1122.00 (Personal Care Aides).
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