Overview

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 states that the Personal Care Assistant is projected to be the fastest-growing occupation through 2018. 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 fulltime 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, maybe of any age, and must live at home or in a home-like residential facility. Personal Care Assistants provide this assistance 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.

Program Objectives

After completing this program, learners will be able to:

  • Describe long-term care in terms of the target populations, environment, care options
  • Describe the physiological, psychological, and sociological changes related to aging
  • Describe physical, cognitive, and social growth and development characteristics
  • Describe memory care needs and options
  • Explain proper procedures for infection control in a home or residential environment
  • Perform basic housekeeping procedures and safety for residents, staff, and visitors
  • Explain procedures and strategies for planning, purchasing, and serving food
  • Explain the proper procedures for safely assisting an individual in activities of daily living
  • Explain procedures for preventing fluid overload and dehydration
  • Explain proper procedures for applying a variety of warm and cold applications
  • Explain procedures involved in caring for individuals with special needs
  • Describe effective and appropriate care of an individual who is dying
  • Explain proper care for infants and children in the home or residential setting
  • Explain how to assist individuals in a home or residential environment
  • Explain common preoperative and postoperative care procedures

Certifications

There  are  several  National  Certification  exams  that  are  available  to  students  who successfully complete this program:  

National Workforce Career Association (NWCA) Certified Personal Care Assistant (CPCA)

 

Note: Inclusion of National Certification exam vouchers vary from school and payment / finance method. To check if they are included, you may message any of our advisors through any of our available channels here.

 

FAQs

 

+ Are these courses associated with an accredited school?
These courses are offered by Texas A&M University Texarkana, in partnership with Job Training Courses (JTC). Texas A&M University-Texarkana is a regionally accredited institution and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

+ Are there available financial aids (FAFSA, Pell Grant, etc)?
We currently do not have support for federal or state grants. However, we offer zero interest payment plans for up to 12 months. Students can take advantage of these payment plans without worrying about credit check.

+ Can I verify if this is legitimate?
Yes. You may contact Texas A&M University - Texarkana directly. Please see the contact information below:

Shelley Caraway
Executive Director, TAMUT EECD
scaraway@tamut.edu
+1 903 334 6683

+ I'm located at a different state. Can I take this program?
Yes. These programs are designed to be portable and accessible wherever you are in the country. Please note however that it is important for you to check state requirements to ensure that the program will be accepted in the state you will be employed in.

+ I'm located outside of the US. Can I take this program?
Yes. These programs are designed to be portable and accessible wherever you are. However, please note that certain programs are only designed to be taken for employment within the United States. An example of this are the Healthcare programs.

+ If I cannot complete the program within the prescribed duration, what are my options?
We offer program extensions for a certain period at no extra cost. Please message us here to speak with one of our advisors.


Have more questions? Contact us here

Enrollment Options

This program is currently not available in any of our university partners or in the chosen state.

Instructor-Facilitated Options*

Video Lesson Presentations

Mobile-Ready

National Certification Opportunity *

Textbooks & Supplemental Materials

Mentor Support

Certificate of Completion