Direct Care Workers

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WHO ARE DIRECT CARE WORKERS?

Direct care workers are people who care for individuals of all ages who have disabilities or a chronic illness and need their assistance. There are many names for direct care workers. Here are some common titles for direct care workers:

> Caregiver
> Home Care Aide
> Attendant Care Worker
> Personal Assistant
> Personal Care Attendant
> Direct Support Professional
> Habilitation Technician
> Respite Care Worker
> Classroom Aide

Some of these jobs require special training. Others do not. It depends on many things about the job itself, such as the type of work done, where the work is done, and who is receiving the care. Read the descriptions below to learn more about each job. But remember: each job is different.

Home Care Aide/Caregiver. Home care aides or caregivers provide a range of basic services
in the home, including help with bathing, dressing and grooming. Some may help with home management tasks such as grocery shopping and preparing meals.

Personal Care Attendant / Attendant Care Woker / Personal Assistant. Personal care
attendants assist people with basic tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming and eating. They provide for safety and comfort of consumers, providing companionship and assisting with activities of daily living.

Direct Support Professional. Direct support professionals (DSPs) provide people with developmental disabilities or mental health issues training in the everyday skills they need to live on their own. This could include help making a household budget, paying bills on time, cooking meals or looking for a job.

Habilitation Technitians. Habilitation technicians provide a range of services, from personal care to behavioral modification, in a variety of settings to help people who have developmental disabilities or problems with substance abuse.

Respite Care Worker. Respite care workers provide care and companionship to people with a disability or health condition to ease
the burden of family members who usually provide those services.

Classroom Aide. Classroom aides provide support and guidance in a classroom setting to students who may have a developmental disability or mental health issues.

For more information about direct care workers, click on another topic at left.