Background
- The client/ patient is a 47 year old, widower male that suffered a spontaneous hematoma in his spinal cord in April of 2023 leaving him paralyzed below the waist and reliant on a wheelchair. The client is independent in many ways, maintains full-time employment and 50/50 custody of his 3 children (ages 15, 12, and 9) with his ex-wife. The role is to really fulfill needs that the client cannot do on his own and is an excellent resume booster for anyone pursuing a career in health care, child-care, education, or any jobs that will work with people.
Job Brief
- As a Personal Care Assistant (PCA), your day-to-day role involves assisting patients by helping them accomplish tasks they might struggle to do independently.
- The PCA will be responsible for providing assistance with daily living activities such as mobility, including driving client and children to activities and other errands.
- Other activities will include light shopping (groceries, etc., laundry and light housework.
- The ideal candidate has a caring and supportive attitude, is reliable and able to work with little supervision, and has excellent communication and time management skills.
- Ultimately, a top-notch PCA should be able to maintain a high quality of life for our clients.
- Below is a list of common responsibilities for a care assistant, however other activities may be required.
Responsibilities
- Assisting clients with personal hygiene and getting dressed.
- Performing household tasks like cooking (including meal-preparation), cleaning, shopping, and laundry
- Preparing meals and feeding clients as needed
- Providing companionship and emotional support
- Assisting with mobility and physical therapy exercises
- Accompanying (including driving) clients to appointments and social outings
- Maintaining a safe and clean environment for clients
- Responsible for inventory supplies and equipment; and notifying the client of the need for requisition of necessary supplies and equipment
- Support for children, dependents and pets of the client that that client cannot do themselves
- General household chores that cannot be accomplished by the client
PCA Qualifications and Skills
A proficient Personal Care Assistant (PCA) should possess a wide range of skills and qualifications to provide the best care for their clients, including:
- Strong interpersonal skills to build relationships with clients and interact with them in a friendly and compassionate manner
- Good physical stamina and health, as they may need to assist clients with mobility and perform tasks such as lifting and moving
- Exceptional attention to detail in order to observe changes in a client’s condition and ensure all care tasks are completed to a high standard
- Effective communication skills to clearly understand and follow instructions from medical professionals, and to communicate with clients and their families
- Problem-solving skills to determine the best solutions for client’s needs and to respond to emergencies or unexpected situations
- Patience and emotional resilience due to the challenging nature of the work and the need to handle potentially stressful situations
- Practical skills in personal care, such as meal preparation, bathing, dressing, and housekeeping tasks
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for clients’ privacy and dignity at all times
Below is a link to the profile of a good PCA
