What Does a Personal Care Attendant (PCA) Do?
Personal care attendants may also be known as personal care aides or personal care assistants (PCA). These professionals help people living with physical or mental disabilities perform day-to-day activities and lead normal lives. Read on to find out more about the duties and responsibilities, educational requirements, and employment statistics of PCAs.
<h3 id="section---DutiesAndResponsibilities">Duties and Responsibilities</h3>
<p>As a PCA, you help aging and disabled individuals perform routine living activities. Depending on your employment agency, you may provide care at a residential care facility, hospital, or in patients' homes. Your most common tasks typically include routine cleaning, cooking, housekeeping chores, and personal hygiene assistance.
</p>
<p>While caring for clients in their homes, you may also have to provide transportation to appointments or run other errands. You may also provide companionship to your clients as they adjust to their new lifestyle.
</p>
<p>You will likely work under the supervision of a licensed nurse, social worker, or some sort of non-medical manager, and you'll be expected to keep detailed client records and report any significant changes in your clients' conditions to your supervisor. Although personal care attendants can't provide medical services, you may be asked to perform some basic healthcare-related procedures, such as monitoring and recording vital signs, following the direction of your supervisor.
</p>
<h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutPersonalCareAssistants">Important Facts About Personal Care Assistants</h3>
<p />
<table border="1"><tr><td>Job Outlook (2021-2031)</td><td> 25% <i>(for all personal care aides)</i>*</td></tr>
<tr><td>Key Skills</td><td> Physical stamina, interpersonal skills, service oriented</td></tr>
<tr><td>Work Environment</td><td> Full-time or part-time; higher than average risk for injury or illness</td></tr>
<tr><td>Similar Occupations</td><td> Home health aide, medical assistant, childcare worker, nursing assistant</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p>
<h3 id="section---EducationAndLicensureRequirements">Education and Licensure Requirements</h3>
<p>There are no formal education requirements necessary to become a PCA, not even a high school diploma. Most of your training occurs on-the-job through the supervision of an experienced personal care attendant or a nurse. However, college training programs for aspiring PCAs provide you with the essential skills and techniques to give professional-quality care. While you aren't always required to be certified, you may choose to verify your professional competency by becoming certified through the National Association of Home Care and Hospice. Some states do require certification or completion of approved training programs.
</p>
<h3 id="section---EmploymentAndSalaryStatistics">Employment and Salary Statistics</h3>
<p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS, <i>www.bls.gov</i>), there were 3,636,900 people employed as PCAs in May 2021. The greatest percentages of workers were employed in the individual and family services and home health care services industries. Other employment opportunities are available with vocational rehabilitation services and residential facilities focusing on mental disabilities, mental health, and substance abuse. In May 2021, the BLS reported that the average annual salary of PCAs was $29,260. Those employed by grantmaking and giving services earned the highest average salary of $44,600 per year.</p>