How to Become a Personal Care Assistant
Individuals with disabilities caused by age or injuries don't always have the capabilities to perform many of the daily living tasks so many people take for granted, such as bathing, cooking or brushing their teeth. For assistance with the tasks they are unable to complete on their own, many employ personal care assistants. To join this profession, you must have the skills and the desire to help individuals with their household or personal needs.
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Instructions
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Learn the basic skills that may be expected of a personal care assistant. These include cooking, laundry, ironing, cleaning and shopping, as well as helping a person with bathing, combing their hair, applying makeup and getting dressed. Acquire any of the skills you don't have by taking courses at your local extension office or community center.
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Seek out certifications. Take a training class from the American Red Cross to become certified in CPR and first aid. Consider enrolling in a nurse aide or home health aide course through a local community college or trade school. While not a requirement for most personal care attendant jobs, some employers give preference to prospective employees with these aide certifications.
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Gain experience. Serve as a volunteer for nursing homes, assisted living facilities and centers for mentally challenged people. Ask the volunteer coordinator supervising your experience to serve as a reference for you when applying for jobs as a personal care assistant.
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Find an open position. Learn what companies in your area hire personal care assistants to provide assistance to senior citizens and disabled individuals. Submit an application detailing your experience, and provide a list of references that can attest to your character and ability to serve as a professional personal care attendant. Expect the company to interview you and conduct a background check if they want to hire you since you will be working in a person's home.
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Work independently. Advertise your personal care assistant services in the newspaper or online. Take on clients that contact you. Determine how much you need to charge clients for your services based on your time and expenses. Remember that you must pay your own taxes, health insurance and other benefits since you don't have an employer to pay these for you.
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- Photo Credit man in wheelchair image by jimcox40 from Fotolia.com
