Personal Care Assistant

Program Description

Personal Care Assistants provide assistance to elderly, disabled, ill, and mentally disabled persons who live in their own homes or in a residential care facility. Some Personal Care Assistants work with families in which a parent is incapacitated and small children need care. Others help discharged hospital patients who have relatively short-term needs. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the Personal Care Assistant is projected to be the fastest growing occupation through 2024. Numerous job openings with excellent opportunities are expected. Job opportunities will be prevalent in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, home care, longterm care facilities, hospice and assisted living facilities. Personal Care Assistants can be in the form of paid employees who come into the home for a few hours a day or who live in the home full time or can be family members or friends of the resident.

This comprehensive program prepares students for a position as a Personal Care Assistant. Emphasis is on giving personal care in a client's home, communications, working with ill persons, basic human needs, eldercare, nutrition, special diets, and home management. Many different types of individuals require assistance in daily tasks, assistance with minor medical tasks, and companionship because they are ill, elderly, or disabled in some way, may be of any age, and live at home or in a home-like residential facility. Personal Care Assistants provide this assistance entirely or provide some of the care to allow family caregivers a respite. This program will ensure students are prepared to provide a variety of essential services for their clients including health care management and monitoring, assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) ranging from bathing, dressing, eating, using the bathroom, housekeeping and laundry to medication reminders and/or management, recreational activities and companionship, security and transportation.

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

• Describe long-term care in terms of the target populations, environment, care options
• Describe the physiological, psychological, and sociological changes related to aging
• Describe physical, cognitive, and social growth and development characteristics
• Describe memory care needs and options
• Explain proper procedures for infection control in a home or residential environment
• Perform basic housekeeping procedures and safety for residents, staff, and visitors
• Explain procedures and strategies for planning, purchasing, and serving food
• Explain the proper procedures for safely assisting an individual in activities of daily living
• Explain procedures for preventing fluid overload and dehydration
• Explain proper procedures for applying a variety of warm and cold applications
• Explain procedures involved in caring for individuals with special needs
• Describe effective and appropriate care of an individual who is dying
• Explain proper care for infants and children in the home or residential setting
• Explain how to assist individuals in a home or residential environment
• Explain common preoperative and postoperative care procedures

Certification Opportunities

After completing this program, learners will have the option to take the leading national/industry-recognized certification exam(s) essential to entry-level employment in this fast-growing field.

National Workforce Career Association (NWCA) Certified Personal Care Assistant (CPCA)
National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA)

Optional Volunteer Externship Opportunity

Learners who complete this program are eligible to participate in an optional volunteer externship opportunity with a local company/agency/organization whose work aligns with this area of study in order to gain valuable hands-on experience.  As learners progress through their eLearning program, an Externship Coordinator will reach out to coordinate placement.

Note: Additional documentation including health records, immunizations, drug-screening, criminal background checks, etc. may be required by the externship facility.