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Q: Are caregivers required to have training now?
A: Caregiver training is required in some states following the hiring of the individual by a licensed assisted living or home care organization. Some states require no training; other states only require basic orientation.
Q: What about caregivers who are hired directly by families?
A: There are no consistent standards of training for direct hire caregivers. Some caregivers have training as Certified Nursing Assistants, but this training assumes that the worker has a nurse supervising her work. Most privately hired caregivers work without nursing supervision or oversight, but don’t have the training to prepare them for unsupervised care. Few states have any training or certification requirements for private, in-home caregivers.
Q: Doesn’t anyone require caregiver training?
A: Licensed home health agencies are required to have trained caregivers, or home health aides. Facilities, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, have training requirements. Some states require home care agencies to provide training to staff, but many states are just now in the process of developing training standards.
Q: Do agencies or associations offer training?
A: Yes. Caregiver training is widely available through private agencies, schools and associations. The challenge is that some of this training is minimal; most is offered in a classroom setting and no standard for certification yet exists in the U.S. today for caregiver training.
Q: Many long term care and other insurance companies require “certified caregivers” for reimbursement of care. How do families meet this requirement?
A: Many families have hired certified nursing assistants or home health aides. Many families, however, are seeking other certification programs that prepare the worker for independent work, without a nurse supervising their work. The newly designated Personal Care Aide certification meets that need.
Q: Where did the term “Personal Care Aide” come from?
A: Recently the federal government recognized this as a new job category, separate and distinct from a certified nursing assistant or other health care provider. This term reflects the growing population of professional caregivers who provide care to the individual in a non-medical home or community setting. As defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Personal and Home Care Aides – also called homemakers, caregivers, companions and personal attendants – provide housekeeping and routine personal care services.” (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos173.htm) This occupation has excellent job opportunities in the future because of the aging of our society and the growth in senior and health care sectors. Employment opportunities are expected to grow by more than 50% in this sector in the coming decade.
Q: Who provides Personal Care Aide Certification?
A: Some national associations and schools provide training and certification programs. A newly launched, fully online program is also provided by the Institute for Professional Care Education (www.IPCed.com), a school licensed by the Oregon Department of Education. The Institute is a division of aQuire Training Solutions, an organization with extensive experience in the training of individuals providing care to seniors and the disabled.
Q: An online course seems to be a good option for people who can’t attend a class. Is it a difficult course to complete?
A: IPCed’s Personal Care Aide Certification Course is a comprehensive, 40 hour online course. It’s written, however, at a basic 6-8th grade reading level and is highly interactive, using narration, visuals, teaching videos and music to reinforce key concepts of person-centered care. Any individual with internet access and a focus on improving their career skills and outlook can complete the course with relative ease.
Q: What is covered in the PCA Certification Course?
A: The course covers all the basic skills required for providing care, including skills in communication, decision-making and respect for the rights of the care recipient. In addition, the course reinforces the principles of independence, choice, dignity and privacy, while shaping attitudes about the value of person-centered care.
Q: Can professionals preview the online course?
A: IPCed encourages professionals to preview the course before recommending it to others. This can be done simply by contacting IPCed toll free at 877-843-8374 or via email at
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. A detailed course curriculum is also available upon request. |
