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Direct care staffer vs home care attendant

The differences between direct care staffers and home care attendants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a direct care staffer has an average salary of $30,480, which is higher than the $26,059 average annual salary of a home care attendant.

The top three skills for a direct care staffer include mental health, developmental disabilities and CPR. The most important skills for a home care attendant are patients, home health, and companionship.

Direct care staffer vs home care attendant overview

Direct Care StafferHome Care Attendant
Yearly salary$30,480$26,059
Hourly rate$14.65$12.53
Growth rate36%36%
Number of jobs117,658235,912
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 31%Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Average age4848
Years of experience--

What does a direct care staffer do?

A Direct Care Staffer specializes in providing personal care and supervision to the disabled or elderly. Among the responsibilities include administering medication, managing schedules, assisting in hygienic tasks, preparing meals, and doing light to moderate household chores. Furthermore, A Direct Care Staffer also helps in transportation and preparation of daily meals, running various errands, purchasing groceries and daily necessities, and as well as monitoring health conditions. It is also essential for a Daily Care Staffer to update supervisors and guardians regularly.

What does a home care attendant do?

A home care attendant is a health care worker whose primary job is to provide care and assistance to the elderly and people with disabilities. Your day-to-day duties will include monitoring and recording the condition of patients, performing housekeeping and laundry, and providing personal care services such as dressing and bathing. In addition, you will assist patients in caring for themselves by teaching them how to use a walker, cane, and personal hygiene equipment. As a home care attendant, you are also expected to adhere to asepsis procedures and standards to maintain a secure, healthy, and safe environment.

Direct care staffer vs home care attendant salary

Direct care staffers and home care attendants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Direct Care StafferHome Care Attendant
Average salary$30,480$26,059
Salary rangeBetween $19,000 And $47,000Between $17,000 And $38,000
Highest paying CitySalem, ORWatertown Town, MA
Highest paying stateOregonAlaska
Best paying companyNew York UniversityDignity Health
Best paying industryManufacturingMedia

Differences between direct care staffer and home care attendant education

There are a few differences between a direct care staffer and a home care attendant in terms of educational background:

Direct Care StafferHome Care Attendant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 31%Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Most common majorPsychologyNursing
Most common college--

Direct care staffer vs home care attendant demographics

Here are the differences between direct care staffers' and home care attendants' demographics:

Direct Care StafferHome Care Attendant
Average age4848
Gender ratioMale, 27.5% Female, 72.5%Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 8.0% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between direct care staffer and home care attendant duties and responsibilities

Direct care staffer example responsibilities.

  • Provide and care for highly volatile patients, administering CPI when require.
  • Train and supervise individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.
  • Assist consumers in development and maintenance of adaptive daily living skills.
  • Maintain client and community safety through appropriate application of CPI NVCI training.
  • Assist residence with disabilities, by bathing them, feeding and showing compassion.
  • Work with Kronos (timekeeping system) and making schedules for the DSP.
  • Show more

Home care attendant example responsibilities.

  • Manage clients bills, paid them, buy groceries, take complete care of their responsibilities.
  • Self-Direct and empower, providing hygiene care, hospice and respite care to Alzheimer's patients and patients requiring long-term assistance.
  • Provide companionship and conversation, stabilization, and assistance with walking, and providing medication and appointment reminders for assign patients.
  • Maintain all confidential personnel files and CPR compliance records.
  • Ensure that HHA's are trained to administer the required care.
  • Interview applicants for HHA training program, and general clerical duties and some front reception coverage.
  • Show more

Direct care staffer vs home care attendant skills

Common direct care staffer skills
  • Mental Health, 14%
  • Developmental Disabilities, 8%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Patients, 6%
  • Autism, 6%
  • Crisis Intervention, 5%
Common home care attendant skills
  • Patients, 19%
  • Home Health, 16%
  • Companionship, 14%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Meal Prep, 5%
  • Patient Care, 4%

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