Home Care Worker

Home care workers are responsible for nursing patients in their own homes.

They are not qualified nurses, but are usually hired to take care of patients who are recovering from heart attacks, strokes and major operations, elderly and disabled people who are not able to care for themselves or those suffering from long-term diseases such as AIDS.

These situations do not require the services of a qualified nurse and hiring home care workers is far more cost effective than hiring nurses, or keeping the patients in hospitals or clinics.

Home care workers are trained in basic nursing and first-aid as well as routine housekeeping, as assignments often call for a combination of the two.

Personal Requirements

able to acquire basic nursing and first-aid skills
patient and compassionate
concerned about the well-being of patients
reliable and have integrity
friendly, neat and orderly

How to Enter

Schooling & School Subjects

No specific requirements

What to Study

Home care workers usually receive in-service training. Training as a nursing auxiliary is also applicable. For more information, refer to the alphabetical list of occupations to find details about Nursing Auxiliary.

Employment

families of private patients recovering from strokes, heart attacks and major operations
families of disabled persons
frail-care centres in retirement villages and old age homes
special-care institutions

Further Information

Any of the above potential employers

Getting Started