Roles and Responsibilities of Home Care, Personal Support Workers, and Home Helpers

Essential role of a home/personal care worker

Home care and personal support workers are essential workers for the elderly and disabled from physical handicaps or a chronic condition living alone or chosen to live independently at home.  For various reasons, these individuals have opted out of facility care.  Home care and personal support workers help clients to live as independent as possible , assisting them with personal self-care routines that include dressing, bathing, grooming, eating, toileting, mobilizing (called “activities of daily living or ADLs”) and daily home related activities (called “instrumental activities of daily living or IADLs”) such as meal preparation, housekeeping, , transportation to appointments, using the telephone, shopping, taking medications, planning social events, managing finances, etc.  As part of their role, home care and personal support workers provide companionship to family members who are socially isolated and/or home bound through regular interactions and meaningful conversation.  In times of crisis when family members are not able to be present due to distance and work commitments, the consistent presence of a home care and personal support worker brings peace of mind to the family that their loved one is comfortable, safe and cared for. 

The home care and personal support worker provides indispensable care to older and disabled adults wishing to live with dignity and independently in their own home.    

Responsibilities of a home/personal care worker

A home care/personal support worker provides a range of services to help elderly or disabled individuals live independently in their own homes. Home care and personal support workers assist with personal self-care routines that include dressing, bathing, grooming, eating, toileting, mobilizing and daily home related activities such as meal preparation, housekeeping, , transportation to appointments, using the telephone, shopping, taking medications, planning social events, managing finances, etc.  

The home care and personal support worker is an indispensable care provider for older and disabled adults wishing to live with dignity and independently in their own home.   

Home care and personal support workers must have specialized certification or credentials in order to provide services in certain areas such as nursing or therapy. The scope of work that can be performed by a home care or personal support worker is significantly narrower than a nurse’s scope of practice.  In Canada/U.S. home care and personal support workers who have a nursing background as a registered nurse from a foreign country, or are currently in training to a nurse, cannot refer to themselves a nurse or practice as a registered nurse in any province or state unless they completed a recognized nursing program from a recognized school and met the government and licensing requirements established by the licensing body in that province or state.

Home and personal care workers play an integral part in helping individuals maintain a safe environment while still being able to enjoy life as independently as possible. They must have a strong sense of compassion as they regularly interact with their clients while maintaining their dignity and rights. They must be patient listeners to understand the clients’ physical and emotional needs. The work can be physically demanding at times but is also incredibly rewarding when caregivers are able to assist clients in achieving improved quality of life by providing them with the necessary support services.

Through their hard work, dedication and compassionate outlook they give individuals the opportunity to remain comfortable in their own home regardless of age or disability status.

What are typical responsibilities of a home/personal care worker?

Home care and personal support focuses on assisting clients with instrumental activities of daily living to ensurethe home is organized, functional, clean, safe, and comfortable. Typical duties may include routine household tasks such as daily vacuuming, and bathroom sanitization after use, washing dishes after meals, doing laundry, answering the telephone, meal preparation that have become difficult or overwhelming for the person receiving care . Regular housekeeping and cleaning are especially helpful to maintain a barrier-free living space that is clean, organized, free from clutter and trip hazards such as rugs and furniture and enables a client to mobilize freely with their cane, walker or wheelchair.  Age-related risks affecting memory and mobility can lead to social isolation increasing the need for frequent walks and scheduled outings.  Health conditions such as diabetes, heart and kidney disease can affect appetite resulting in nutritional deficiencies and are important considerations when preparing meals.  Food preparation requires mindful grocery shopping and consideration of portion control and dietary restrictions recommended by the doctor or dietitian.

Personal care duties include assisting the client with personal activities of daily living such as dressing, bathing, grooming, eating, toileting and mobilizing. Typical duties are assisting a person to get in and out of bed, stand up, walk, encouraging or assisting with gentle limb exercises, assisting with eating or feeding at mealtimes, assisting with toileting and peri-care, performing oral hygiene, keeping hair combed and tidy, keeping skin dry, lubricated and free of pressure, and assisting with bathing or showering.  Helping a client with self-care activities that they are no longer able to perform without assistance because of progressive and declining health requires an empathetic and compassionate approach.  Keeping family members informed of how their loved one responds to the care you provide, being mindful of age-related risks that predisposes them to falls, confusion and memory loss, chronic pain, and nutritional deficiencies and reporting changes in health condition requiring follow up with a doctor are important daily responsibilities.  

A typical day in the life of a home care/personal support worker

A typical day for a private home care/personal support worker caring for an elderly loved one who is a little unsteady might look like this:

• Waking and assisting your loved one to sit up in bed,
• Assisting her to walk to the bathroom as needed,
• Providing peri-care after toileting as needed,
• Assisting with cleaning teeth and oral hygiene, dressing and grooming,
• Preparing breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner according to dietary requests,
• Washing the dishes after meals,
• Ensuring medication is administered, taken correctly and on time,
• Taking your loved one shopping for groceries and picking up prescriptions,
• Escorting your loved one to the doctor or treatments,
• Taking your loved one to the gym or going a walk to the park,
• Assisting with showering/tub bath and performing skin care,
• Watching TV or playing cards together,
• At the end of the day, tidying up, sanitizing the toilet, dusting and light vacuuming,
• Doing laundry and changing bed linen once a week when needed.
• Calling you to report on your loved one’s response to care provided and activities carried out, and significant health or behavior concerns.

What makes home/personal care providers who speak an Asian language so special?

Home care and personal support workers who speak an Asian language offer a unique set of skills to care seekers seeking culture-sensitive care.  Cultural-sensitive home care brings awareness of one’s own beliefs, biases, values and cultural differences and is client-centred care that specifically meets the social and cultural needs of the diverse client populations in the home care community. 

Their familiarity with the cultural values, norms, traditions and foods associated with the language they speak makes it easier to establish rapport, collaborate, and deliver care that is culturally appropriate and tailored to the needs of their clients. This is especially beneficial for elderly or disabled individuals whose first language is not English and cannot find the words to articulate their care needs in English.  Likewise, for caregivers whose first language is an Asian English, language will not become a barrier to finding a job.  In situations where caregivers are fluent in both English and an Asian language, caregivers have the added advantage of being able to communicate in English with family members whose first language is English and in the Asian language of the older family member receiving care, whose first language was not English. 

In Canada/U.S., the official language is English.  Canada/U.S. also has an aging population, with a significant percentage of elderly whose first language is not English.  Elderly living alone at risk who do not speak or read English fluently will be underserved as they may not know how to navigate and access the health care services in their community. 

Asian Caregivers recognizes the importance of communicating in a language that is common and familiar to both caregivers and care seekers.  For caregivers registered on the Asian Caregivers platform, language is not a barrier to finding a job.  For care seekers and their loved ones, language is not a barrier to quality care.

Find your home care or personal support worker through the Asian Caregivers platform.

Using the Asian Caregivers platform is a simple and effective way to put you in touch with potential candidates with diverse backgrounds, qualifications and experiences and bring an array of skills.  Caregivers registered on the Asian Caregivers platform are independent caregivers who provide private home care, personal support, and home help.  Some are student health professionals, unlicensed foreign trained nurses and professionals with medical backgrounds from other countries.  What caregivers registered on Asian Caregivers all have in common is they speak an Asian language and are interested in caring for elderly and disabled adults.  Caregivers registered on Asian Caregivers share their personal perspective and story on “What quality care means” to them so you can assess for yourself how passionate they are about helping people in their time of need.   Their caregiver profiles provide information about visa and residency status, identifies background check documents available to you, their personal philosophy of care, languages spoken, services offered, health history, education and licensing credentials, qualifications and experience, availability, and desired hourly rate/salary.

If you are looking for a qualified home care worker, personal support worker or home helper who speaks your Asian language, look no further than AsianCaregivers.ca. to find a home care or personal support worker who is suitable for your needs! Subscribe to Asian Caregivers today!

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