A closer look at personal care
Help with activities of daily living
Health professionals use the term "activities of daily living" for the basic tasks of self-care: bathing, dressing, grooming, using the toilet, eating and moving from a bed to a chair. When these become hard, a personal care caregiver can help in a way that protects privacy and independence.
What personal care includes
- Showering, bed baths and hair washing
- Choosing clothes and help getting dressed
- Shaving, oral care, nail filing and skin moisturizing
- Toileting and continence care, including changing products
- Safe transfers using grab bars, walkers or a transfer belt
- Repositioning for comfort for someone who spends a lot of time in bed
Dignity first
Many people find accepting help with personal care hard. Good caregivers ask before they act, explain each step, let the person do as much as they can, and keep the conversation natural. If your loved one prefers a caregiver of a particular gender, you can filter for that in the directory.
Experience and training
Some caregivers list training such as Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or Home Health Aide (HHA) courses. These are useful, but training listed on profiles is self-reported, so ask to see certificates if they matter to you. Ask too how the caregiver handles transfers safely; it protects both of them.
Personal care is non-medical. Caregivers do not treat pressure sores, change sterile dressings or manage catheters unless they hold the appropriate license and your state allows it.
