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Care partner vs companion

The differences between care partners and companions can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a care partner has an average salary of $31,723, which is higher than the $29,246 average annual salary of a companion.

The top three skills for a care partner include patients, vital signs and care plan. The most important skills for a companion are companionship, patients, and home health.

Care partner vs companion overview

Care PartnerCompanion
Yearly salary$31,723$29,246
Hourly rate$15.25$14.06
Growth rate36%36%
Number of jobs85,77875,753
Job satisfaction3-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 34%High School Diploma, 28%
Average age4848
Years of experience--

What does a care partner do?

A care partner is in charge of taking care of patients in a medical facility. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating with health care experts to learn about the patients' specific care plans and assisting them in their daily hygienic tasks such as bathing, dressing, and going to toilets. They may also help patients when walking or moving around. Furthermore, as a care partner, it is essential to provide emotional support to patients and monitor their progress, reporting to nurses or doctors regularly.

What does a companion do?

A companion is responsible for assisting sick and recovered patients, as well as the elderly. Companions perform housekeeping duties, ensuring that a facility is well-maintained and safe for the use of the patients. They also monitor the patients' medication, prepare their meals based on a medical professional's prescription, support them on their daily activities, respond to the patients' needs and special requests as allowed, and report any developments to their family or guardians. A companion must be compassionate enough to extend physical and emotional support, depending on the client's condition.

Care partner vs companion salary

Care partners and companions have different pay scales, as shown below.

Care PartnerCompanion
Average salary$31,723$29,246
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $44,000Between $22,000 And $38,000
Highest paying CityGreat Falls, MTBoston, MA
Highest paying stateAlaskaWashington
Best paying companyMount Sinai Health SystemMerck
Best paying industryHealth CareNon Profits

Differences between care partner and companion education

There are a few differences between a care partner and a companion in terms of educational background:

Care PartnerCompanion
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 34%High School Diploma, 28%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common college--

Care partner vs companion demographics

Here are the differences between care partners' and companions' demographics:

Care PartnerCompanion
Average age4848
Gender ratioMale, 15.0% Female, 85.0%Male, 12.1% Female, 87.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 8.7% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 7.7% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between care partner and companion duties and responsibilities

Care partner example responsibilities.

  • Manage CMS, state, and complaint surveys.
  • Manage shelterpractices and evaluate various volunteering, outreach, foster, rescue, and pet placement programs.
  • Manage ventilator settings, suction tracheostomy, tube-feeding assistance.
  • Direct motion capture shoots for adding more animation to existing characters for crowd simulation.
  • Comfort care and ADL's, including range of motion exercises and encouraging early mobility in post-op patients.
  • Work on the Neurosurgery/Neuroscience unit caring for step down patients from the ICU, seizure patients and stroke patient.
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Companion example responsibilities.

  • Assist residents with use of bedpans, urinals, commode, and bathroom and assist with routine catheter care.
  • Experience with wind care, colostomy, fluid and electrolyte balance; assist with ambulation, ADL's and medication administration.
  • Provide companionship to elderly patients which also include feeding and light bathing
  • Perform first aid, knowledgeable with CPR.
  • Display empathy, compassion, care, and love.
  • Used skills as: compassion, listening, problem solving.
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Care partner vs companion skills

Common care partner skills
  • Patients, 17%
  • Vital Signs, 9%
  • Care Plan, 6%
  • Medication Administration, 5%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Customer Service, 4%
Common companion skills
  • Companionship, 20%
  • Patients, 16%
  • Home Health, 7%
  • Provide Emotional Support, 7%
  • Patient Care, 7%
  • Meal Prep, 5%

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