The life of a Care Assistant
A care assistant, sometimes referred to as a personal care assistant (PCA), provides a range of support to individuals with physical and learning challenges in various circumstances and environments. They work with all age ranges, from children to the elderly, with some working with clients on a daily basis or a weekly basis, depending upon the individual’s needs. In addition, a care assistant works in settings such as nursing homes, residential homes or clients’ private residences.
Care assistants work in tandem with other health care professionals to assess the client’s needs and to develop a specific plan of care for individual clients. Want more? Click here. Some of the duties of a care assistant includes, but is not limited to, helping clients who are less mobile to eat, bathe, get out of bed, groom and dress.
In addition, they provide basic medical services such as checking the client’s temperature, pulse and respiration rates; and administering prescribed medications. They also run errands, take clients to appointments or other designations as well as provide light housekeeping and homemaking duties.
A care assistant must have formal training and pass a licensure exam. This exam measures competency in the areas of hygiene, nutrition, infection control, and reading and recording patient vital signs.