Workforce Solutions at SUNY Jefferson - Flipbook - Page 28
PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANT
ONLINE
Cost: $1,299
Typical 昀椀nish time: 4-6 months
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 states that the Personal Care Assistant
is projected to be the fastest growing occupation through 2024. 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
After completing this program, learners will have the option to take the leading national/industry-recognized
certi昀椀cation exam(s) essential to entry-level employment in this fast-growing 昀椀eld. (National Workforce
Career Association (NWCA), Certi昀椀ed Personal Care Assistant (CPCA), National Healthcareer Association
(NHA), National Healthcareer Association (NHA), and Certi昀椀ed Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA).)
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.
Traditional college 昀椀nancial aid is not applicable for non-credit courses at this time.
