A most valuable profession in healthcare involves taking care of the most vulnerable groups, including the elderly, disabled, and the ill. The tasks require massive amounts of empathy, quick decision-making, excellent communication, and healthcare skills. An in-depth understanding of various tasks through personal care assistant training makes the work easier and more worthwhile.
Personal Care Assistant Primary Duties
Personal care assistance is often a challenging position that fits within certain personalities who can meet unique demands on their time and skills. Some of the daily tasks, however, include:
- Provision of essential hygiene assistance with tasks such as bathing, brushing teeth, and dressing
- Helping to tidy up your client’s space, and meal preparation
- Administering medication and organizing recreation activities such as walking and other basic exercises
- Provision of companionship
Ways to Acquire Personal Care Assistant Training
A brilliant way to get personal care assistant skills would be to get hands-on training. It can be within a suitable work environment such as Homecare or nursing home facility. You could start as a volunteer helping you to learn practically. Professionally though, becoming a personal care assistant requires that you undertake a formal education with these steps:
- Pursue and earn a high school diploma: While you can engage in this field even before graduation, your diploma lays the groundwork for understanding any technical aspects of the job.
- Earn a relevant certification: There is an advantage of your caregiving certification, in say, healthcare, safety communication, and even psychology. You stand a higher chance whenever personal care assistant opportunities arise.
Critical Skills You Require as a Personal Care Assistant
Formal certification is never enough for a personal care assistance career. You also need to nurture your personality with soft skills that include:
- Professionalism to treat your clients with complete respect. Show a willingness to walk with them through their emotional, mental, and physical issues
- Exercising empathy and companionship while encouraging your client’s independence in the same breath
- Exercising honesty and confidentiality in cases where you possess sensitive information concerning your client
Conclusion
Personal care assistants are an indispensable arm of the healthcare industry. They are a support system for the sick, elderly and disabled, helping them to find meaning in their lives. Contact us if you require more information regarding personal care assistant training.