Personal and Home Care Aides

Career summary

Personal and home care aides help people do tasks they cannot do for themselves. Their help allows people to live at home instead of in a health facility. Most aides work with elderly or disabled clients who need more care than family or friends can provide.

Some aides work with families when a parent is ill and small children need care. Others help patients who are discharged from the hospital and need short-term help.

Aides help clients complete daily personal tasks, including:

• Bathing
• Eating
• Dressing
• Walking

Personal and home care aides also do light housekeeping tasks such as laundry and changing bed linens. Some aides plan meals (including special diets), shop for food, and cook.

Aides sometimes take clients to doctor appointments or out to buy groceries.

Personal and home care aides may work directly for a client or a client's family. They also work for a social service or nursing agencies where they are supervised by a social worker or nurse.

Under the supervision of a nurse or other medical professional, some home care aides provide help with medication and taking vital signs. They record the client's condition and progress to the supervisor. In addition, aides may participate in case reviews with the team caring for the client.

Related careers

This career is part of the Human Services cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

• Child Care Workers
• Dietetic Technicians
• Home Health Aides
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Medical Assistants
• Nursing Assistants
• Occupational Therapist Aides
• Occupational Therapist Assistants
• Physical Therapist Assistants
• Social and Human Service Assistants

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to personal and home care aides.

• Receive specific duties from and report changes in a client's condition to their supervisor.
• Help clients with personal care, such as moving from bed, bathing, dressing, and grooming.
• Keep records of services performed and the client's condition and progress.
• Provide basic housekeeping services, such as doing laundry and changing bed linens.
• Plan meals, shop for food, and cook for clients.
• Participate in case reviews. Consult with the team caring for the client.
• Accompany clients outside the home as a guide and companion.
• Work with elderly, disabled, or ill patients in their own homes.
• May work with small children in families in which a parent is ill or injured.
• Give instruction and psychological support to their clients.
• Help clients with communication. They may type and gather information for them.
• Train family members to provide bedside care.

Common work activities

Personal and home care aides perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

• Assist and care for others
• Document and record information
• Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
• Get information needed to do the job
• Perform activities that use the whole body
• Establish and maintain relationships
• Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
• Identify objects, actions, and events
• Handle and move objects
• Evaluate information against standards
• Coordinate the work and activities of others
• Organize, plan, and prioritize work
• Make decisions and solve problems

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, personal and home care aides:

Interpersonal relationships

• Have a high level of social interaction. They work closely with clients most of the day.
• Are responsible for the health and safety of their patients.
• May on occasion be placed in conflict situations where they deal with unpleasant or angry clients.
• Communicate with clients and supervisors daily by telephone or in person.
• Write letters and memos on a weekly basis. They record the client's condition and progress.
• Work in a group or as part of a team.
• Are somewhat responsible for the work done by aides and assistants.

Physical work conditions

• Often work indoors, but on occasion work outdoors. They travel to clients' homes, and sometimes accompany clients outside the home.
• Work very near patients. They often work within inches of clients.
• Often wear protective or safety attire, such as gloves.
• Are often exposed to contaminants and diseases. They can avoid infection by following safety guidelines.

Work performance

• Must be exact when completing records so that supervisors are aware of clients' conditions. Errors could mean clients' do not receive the treatment they need.
• Make decisions on a daily basis that affect clients'. They can make most decisions without talking to a supervisor.
• Are usually able to set most tasks without consulting with a supervisor. This is because they do many of the same tasks daily.
• Repeat the same physical and mental tasks.

Hours/travel

• Generally have a set schedule each week.
• May work part time or full time, but most work less than 40 hours a week.
• Often work weekend hours.
• Travel to visit clients in their homes. They often visit four or five clients on the same day.

Physical demands

Personal and home care aides frequently:

• Stand for long periods of time.
• Walk or run for long periods of time.
• Bend or twist their body.

It is important for personal and home care aides to be able to:

• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
• Understand the speech of another person.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for personal and home care aides to be able to:

• See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
• Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
• Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
• Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
• Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
• Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
• Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
• Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
• Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
• Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
• Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
• See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
• Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
• Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
• Move arms and legs quickly.

Skills and abilities

Personal and home care aides need to:

Communicate

• Understand spoken information.
• Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
• Listen to others and ask questions.
• Understand written information.
• Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

• Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
• Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
• Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

• Check how well one is learning or doing something.
• Manage the time of self and others.

Work with people

• Look for ways to help people.
• Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
• Teach others how to do something.
• Change behavior in relation to others' actions.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study to consider

• Child Care Assisting
• Custodial Services
• Health Aide

Training

To work as a personal and home care aide, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

No formal education is required beyond high school for this job.

Work experience

Experience helping and working with people is good preparation for this occupation.

On-the-job training

Almost all personal and home care aides learn their skills on the job from an experienced worker. Training may last up to one month.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

• Health Education
• Home Health Care
• Introduction to Health Care
• Medical Assisting
• Nursing

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Employers prefer applicants who like to help people and are willing to work hard. They may also prefer applicants who have a high school diploma or equivalent. Employers look for aides who are responsible, emotionally stable, and cheerful. Aides should also be tactful and honest.

Most employers require some experience in a health care setting such as a skilled nursing facility. Because workers provide their own transportation and may drive patients on errands, a valid state driver's license is usually required.

Some employers prefer to hire aides who specialize in certain types of care, such as working with AIDS patients.

Qualified home health care aides who care for state-supported clients can be listed on the Home Care Referral Registry of Washington State. The registry connects home care workers with those who need in-home services.

#The HCQA was created by a voter initiative in 2001. The authority determined qualifications, recruitment, and established a referral directory. Providers were hired from the referral directory. Due to state budget restrictions, the HCQA is no longer being funded. The referral directory, however, is still available and is now known as the Home Care Referral Registry of Washington State. The HCQA also represents the state in contract bargaining with the Service Employees International Union who represents the home health care workers. (Not sure if this is still applicable information, so left in for now. 3/16/11, cj.)

For more information, contact:

Home Care Referral Registry of Washington State 
PO Box 45600
Olympia, WA 98504

#Updated contact address & phone 4/16/13 cj. Above contact info still ok 3/17/15 cj. removed phone number as each office is contacted by area. 3/10/16 lh. Contact info ok 4/5/19 cj.

Tips

Call home health agencies to see if they offer free or inexpensive training. Volunteer work at hospitals or other health care facilities also may be helpful.

Costs to workers

Personal and home care aides must provide their own transportation. Some may join a professional association and pay annual dues.

Licensing/certification

Most individuals hired as long-term care workers for the elderly or persons with disabilities are required to become certified as home care aides.

Certification requirements include:

• 75 hours of approved training;
• successful completion of a exam;
• answering personal data questions;
• State and federal background check;
• four hours of HIV/AIDS training; and
• completion of 12 hours of continuing education every year.

The application fee is $85 and the certification renewal fee is $85.

For more information on certification, contact:

Washington State Department of Health
Home Care Aide Credentialing 
360.236.4700

#added initiative reqs 2/27/12 lh. Added AIDS & cont ed requirements 4/16/13 cj. no changes 3/20/14 lh, fine. fee increase moved to may 1, but updated now not promoted yet. 3/10/16 lh, small adjustment to narrative 3/5/18 lh

Many employers require workers to be registered as a nursing assistant with the state health department. In order to work for a state-certified, or Medicare or Medicaid approved home health agency, workers must pass a set of competency requirements, including a skills test. Some agencies require workers to pass the state certification requirements for nursing assistants, which includes 85 hours of training and seven clock hours of AIDS education. The certification application fee is $65 and the annual renewal is $70.

For more information, contact:

Washington State Department of Health
Nursing Assistant Program 
PO Box 47877
Olympia, WA 98504
360.236.4700

#checked 2/28/12 lh. Checked info 4/16/13 cj. Updated url 3/17/15 cj. looks okay 3/10/16 lh. Updated CNA fees 12/13/16 cj. 3/5/18 lh. ok 4/5/19 cj.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

• Personal Care Aides 

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website .

Wages

The minimum wage for Washington State as of January 1, 2020 is $13.50 per hour. Some areas of the state may have a higher minimum wage.

Wages vary by employer and area of the country. Most employers give slight pay increases as workers gain experience and add responsibility. Aides are usually paid only for the time worked in the home. They normally are not paid for travel time between jobs.

Most employers hire only "on-call" hourly workers and do not provide benefits.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

National employment

Major employers:

• Home care agencies
• Social service agencies
• Private households
• Residential care facilities

National outlook

Demand for this occupation will grow significantly. The number of people in their seventies and older will continue to grow. This age group has an increased need for care at home. Also, more patients of all ages are expected to rely on home care. This trend is the result of several factors. One, patients are being moved from hospitals more quickly. Two, treatment is often more effective in familiar surroundings. Three, many medical technologies can now be used in the home. This trend will increase the need for caregivers who work with people in their homes.

Many job openings will occur in this field because of the high turnover rate. This occupation has high physical and emotional demands. For people who enjoy this type of work, there will be many job openings.

Other resources

American Health Care Association 
1201 L Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
202.842.4444

Explore Health Careers: Home Care Assistant/Aide 

Home Care Association of Washington 
2311 N 45th St, #337
Seattle, WA 98103
425.775.8120

National Association for Home Care & Hospice 
228 Seventh Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
202.547.7424

Service Employees International Union 
1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
800.424.8592

References

Career cluster

• Human Services

Career path

• Social

O*Net  occupation

• Personal Care Aides (39-9021.00) 

O*Net job zone 

• Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupations

• Blind Aide (359.573-010) 
• Homemaker (309.354-010) 

Holland occupational cluster

• Social/Realistic/Conventional

COPSystem

• Service Skilled