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Personal Care Aides

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.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

On-Site or In-Plant Training: Up to and including 1 month

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Detailed Work Activities

Monitor health or behavior of people or animals.
Administer basic health care or medical treatments.
Document client health or progress.
Maintain client information or service records.
Perform housekeeping duties.
Prepare foods or meals.
Provide counsel, comfort, or encouragement to individuals or families.
Teach health or hygiene practices.
Develop plans for programs or services.
Drive vehicles to transport patrons.
Assist individuals with special needs.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

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.
Train family members to provide bedside care.
Plan, shop for, or prepare nutritious meals or assist families in planning, shopping for, or preparing nutritious meals.
Transport clients to locations outside the home, such as to physicians' offices or on outings, using a motor vehicle.

Work Styles

Innovation

A tendency to be inventive, to be imaginative, and to adopt new perspectives on ways to accomplish work.

Innovation

Achievement Orientation

Intellectual Curiosity

Tolerance for Ambiguity

Initiative

Adaptability

Self-Confidence

Perseverance

Leadership Orientation

Humility

Sincerity

Empathy

Cooperation

Optimism

Social Orientation

Cautiousness

Attention to Detail

Dependability

Integrity

Stress Tolerance

Self-Control

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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