What You Need to Know About Personal Care Aide
Career 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.
What Do Personal Care Aides Do On a Daily Basis?
- 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.
- Plan, shop for, or prepare nutritious meals or assist families in planning, shopping for, or preparing nutritious meals.
- Perform healthcare-related tasks, such as monitoring vital signs and medication, under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists.
- 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.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Personal Care Aide?
Below is a list of the skills most Personal Care Aides say are important on the job.
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
- Personal Assistant
- State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA)
- Home Care Aide
- Family Member Caretaker
- Home Care Provider
Job Outlook 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.
Salary for a Personal Care Aide
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.
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
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Personal Care Aides:
- Email software
- Word processing software
- Spreadsheet software
- MEDITECH software
How to Become a Personal Care Aide
What education is needed to be a Personal Care Aide?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Personal Care Aides Work
Below are examples of industries where Personal Care Aides work:
You May Also Be Interested In…
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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