What You Need to Know About 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: What Do They Do?
- Transport clients to locations outside the home, such as to physicians’ offices or on outings, using a motor vehicle.
- Perform housekeeping duties, such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes or dishes, or running errands.
- Prepare and maintain records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
- Perform healthcare-related tasks, such as monitoring vital signs and medication, under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists.
- Administer bedside or personal care, such as ambulation or personal hygiene assistance.
- Participate in case reviews, consulting with the team caring for the client, to evaluate the client’s needs and plan for continuing services.
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Things a Personal Care Aide Should Know How to Do
Personal Care Aides state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA)
- Patient Sitter
- Direct Support Professional
- Caregiver
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
Job Opportunities for Personal Care Aides
There were about 2,016,100 jobs for Personal Care Aide in 2016 (in the United States). 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. There will be an estimated 414,300 positions for Personal Care Aide per year.
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.
Personal Care Aide Salary
The average yearly salary of a Personal Care Aide ranges between $18,740 and $31,650.
Personal Care Aides who work in Alaska, North Dakota, or District of Columbia, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Personal Care Aides 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
How do I Become a Personal Care Aide?
Learn what Personal Care Aide education requirements there are.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Personal Care Aide?
Where Personal Care Aides Work
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those interested in being a Personal Care Aide may also be interested in:
Career changers with experience as a Personal Care Aide sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
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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