Workforce Solutions at SUNY Jefferson - Flipbook - Page 28
PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANT
ONLINE
Cost: $1,299
Typical 昀椀nish time: 4-6 months
Self-Paced (start anytime)
REGISTER
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 projects that the Personal Care Assistant is
expected to be one of the fastest-growing job sectors, driven by an aging population. 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.
Certi昀椀cation Opportunities
This program meets the necessary requirements to take the National Workforce Career Association (NWCA)
Certi昀椀ed Personal Care Assistant (CPCA) exam and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Certi昀椀ed
Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) exams.
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.
Additional documentation including health records, immunizations, drug-screening, criminal background checks, etc. may be
required by the externship facility.
