About This Career

Provides 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.

This career is part of the Human Services cluster Personal Care Services pathway.

A person in this career:

• Prepares and maintains records of client progress and services performed, reporting changes in client condition to manager or supervisor.
• Administers bedside or personal care, such as ambulation or personal hygiene assistance.
• Performs healthcare-related tasks, such as monitoring vital signs and medication, under the direction of registered nurses or physiotherapists.
• Participates in case reviews, consulting with the team caring for the client, to evaluate the client's needs and plan for continuing services.
• Instructs or advises clients on issues, such as household cleanliness, utilities, hygiene, nutrition, or infant care.
• Cares for individuals or families during periods of incapacitation, family disruption, or convalescence, providing companionship, personal care, or help in adjusting to new lifestyles.
• Performs housekeeping duties, such as cooking, cleaning, washing clothes or dishes, or running errands.
• Provides clients with communication assistance, typing their correspondence or obtaining information for them.
• Trains family members to provide bedside care.
• Plans, shops for, or prepares nutritious meals or assists families in planning, shopping for, or preparing nutritious meals.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Exposed to disease and infections more than once a month through work such as patient care, laboratory work, and sanitation control
• Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves walking or running more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
• Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

• Irregular hours
• Weekend work