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?
The core tasks performed by 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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective personal care aides combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Aide
- Blind Aide
- Blind Escort
- Care Caregiver
- Care Companion
- Care Provider
- Caregiver
- Caretaker
Employment and Demand
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.
How Much Do Personal Care Aides Make?
| 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 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Tech Stack
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for 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
Education and Training
Typical personal care aides positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
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)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for personal care aides often complete programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from 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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