What is a 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.
Daily Life Of a Personal Care Aide
- Prepare and maintain records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
- Transport clients to locations outside the home, such as to physicians' offices or on outings, using a motor vehicle.
- Provide clients with communication assistance, typing their correspondence or obtaining information for them.
- Participate in case reviews, consulting with the team caring for the client, to evaluate the client’s needs and plan for continuing services.
- Administer bedside or personal care, such as ambulation or personal hygiene assistance.
- Instruct or advise clients on issues such as household cleanliness, utilities, hygiene, nutrition, or infant care.
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Qualities of a Personal Care Aide
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
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
- Medication Aide
- Patient Care Assistant (PCA)
- Caregiver
- Independent Living Specialist
Job Outlook for Personal Care Aides
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 2,016,100 jobs in the United States for Personal Care Aide. 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 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 each U.S. state?
| 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 |
What Tools do Personal Care Aides Use?
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
What education is needed to be a Personal Care Aide?
How Long Does it Take to Become a Personal Care Aide?
Where Personal Care Aides Work
The table below shows the approximate number of Personal Care Aides employed by various industries.
Related Careers
Those thinking about becoming a Personal Care Aide might also be interested in the following careers:
Are you already one of the many Personal Care Aide in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
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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