Home Care With a
Purpose
IN THE COMFORT AND SAFETY OF YOUR OWN HOME
Personal Care Assistants (PCA)
We all age. And at some point, we begin to enter the later stages of life, where we require more care and support. Many of us have close family and friends who are happy to help, but often beyond what those precious to us can provide. Also, people of all ages sometimes find themselves in positions where they temporarily or in the long term need this same assistance. In these instances, hiring help becomes necessary. This is where a personal care assistant (or PCA), a caregiver (or companion caregiver), or both become essential to daily living.
Personal Care Assistants (PCA)
A Personal Care Assistant or Personal Support Worker, provides In-Home Companion Care. They provide essential assistance to people of all ages who cannot do many tasks themselves, because of illness, disability, or old age.
PCAs help individuals maintain their independence and quality of life, joining a person in their home or assisted living facility to help out with a variety of tasks relative to that person's needs. PCAs manage a person's ADLs, or their “activities of daily living,” which includes every day basic activities like eating, bathing, grooming, toileting and getting around.
Healing Hands Homecare & Ministries trains and certifies PCAs to:
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Assist with basic activities that are necessary for daily life, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, and mobility assistance.
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Prepare meals, ensure that the client’s nutritional needs are met, and assist with feeding if necessary.
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Remind clients to take their prescribed medications on time (although typically PCAs do not administer them).
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Help clients move around their space or outside, using assistive devices like wheelchairs or walkers or transporting them otherwise to appointments and errands.
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Assist with household tasks such as laundry, light housekeeping, etc.
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Monitor client’s health and well-being, reporting changes to relevant family members or healthcare workers.
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Complete all tasks rooted in faith, with compassion, humility and love, delivering care with intention and heart, exemplifying the very nature of Jesus Christ and applying His teachings in all that they do.
Caregivers
A caregiver, on the other hand, is typically an in-home care provider who provides non-medical care to disabled individuals of all age groups and to seniors aging in their own homes. While Caregivers don’t require a specific or specialized degree, they usually complete training courses and get their CPR certification before providing care for the elderly or other age groups.
Caregivers are crucial role to maintaining the quality of life of those in their care. Their most common function is to provide companionship, but HHHM Caregivers are trained to also assist with many day-to-day tasks, which include:
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Assistance with ADLs, mobility, and basic health tasks.
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Engage in conversations, provide companionship, emotional and spiritual support, and participate in recreational activities.
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Prepare meals and ensure that the client’s nutritional needs are met.
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Remind clients to take their prescribed medications on time.
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Assist with household tasks such as laundry, light housekeeping, etc.
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Monitor client’s health and well-being, reporting changes in health, behavior, or emotional state to relevant family members or healthcare workers.
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Assist with transporting them to appointments and outings.
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Work closely with family members, healthcare professionals, and other caregivers or PCAs.
Caregivers
Limitations of a PCA/Caregiver
Home health aides, PCAs and Caregivers are bound by rules and regulations that largely depend on what training and qualifications they possess and on the regulations of the region and the needs of the client. There are, however, limitations to what a PCA/Caregiver can provide without proper training and permission, including:
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Medical procedures
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Medical administration (i.e., giving medication)
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Medical diagnosis
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Medical equipment management
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Legal or financial decision-making
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Physical or occupational therapy
Healing Hands Homecare & Ministries only offers NON MEDICAL SERVICES at this time. However, with skilled nurses on staff, HHHM will soon offer Skilled Nursing (RN & LPN), Post-Surgical Recovery Care and Chronic Disease Management to compliment the PCA/CNA program.
The Healing Hands Homecare & Ministries Difference:
Our Personal Care Assistants and Caregivers train to become CNAs
The main difference between Caregivers and Personal Care Assistants is that a PCA is a more formalized caregiving role, as they are trained to assist individuals with performing ADL's and to care for people in a variety of settings, obtaining certification for their skills. Caregivers, while providing companionship and general help, are generally not trained to help with more intensive tasks such as dressing, grooming, toileting, bathing, etc. Healing Hands Homecare & Ministries trains our team to serve both roles, as PCA and Caregiver, providing all that our clients need with attention to detail, dedication and service.
While some Caregivers are considered healthcare workers, and are CPR certified as required by many employers, most caregiving work is not medical by nature. HHHM PCA/Caregivers come from a range of backgrounds, complete HHHM PATHWAYS TO CNA training to become Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), are trained and certified, and some take formal college courses to obtain professional nursing degrees.
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA)
CNAs spend more time at the bedside than most other medical staff. An HHHM CNA's everyday duties primarily include:
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Personal Care (ADLs): Assisting patients with bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting.
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Vital Signs: Measuring and recording temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure.
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Mobility: Repositioning bedridden patients, helping them walk, and transferring them between beds and wheelchairs.
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Observation: Monitoring changes in a patient's physical or mental condition and reporting concerns to the supervising nursing staff.
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Patient Comfort: Changing bed linens, helping patients eat, and completing PCA/Caregiver tasks within the home or facility.
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HHHM CNAs complete a state approved training program, pass written and skills state competency examinations to obtain state licensing and certifications, and can then continue college coursework to become Skilled Nurses (RN and LPN)
Certified Nursing Assistant
(CNA)
Skilled Nursing (RN/LPN)
In South Carolina, both Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) are essential in homecare agencies, with RNs overseeing care plans and handling complex medical management, while LPNs provide hands-on treatments and daily living assistance.
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Registered Nurse (RN): Conducts initial patient assessments, manages complex issues like invasive monitoring or infusions, and collaborates with the patient's medical team to build individualized care plans.
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Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): Provides hands-on practical nursing under the supervision of an RN. Duties include wound care, G-tube feeding, tracheotomy care, and medication administration.
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HHHM PCA/Caregivers and CNAs will work hand in hand with the Skilled Nursing (RN, LPN) staff to ensure complete home health care for our clients, when the service is ready to be offered.
