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Group home worker vs personal care worker

The differences between group home workers and personal care workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a group home worker has an average salary of $40,224, which is higher than the $29,490 average annual salary of a personal care worker.

The top three skills for a group home worker include social work, crisis intervention and data entry. The most important skills for a personal care worker are patients, home health, and good communication.

Group home worker vs personal care worker overview

Group Home WorkerPersonal Care Worker
Yearly salary$40,224$29,490
Hourly rate$19.34$14.18
Growth rate36%36%
Number of jobs88,906129,522
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%High School Diploma, 36%
Average age5048
Years of experience--

What does a group home worker do?

A group home worker is an employee who assists with different types of patients staying in group homes to help them develop life skills until they are ready to live independently. Group home workers must assist different types of patients, such as adults diagnosed with mental illness, seniors with disabilities, or young residents who cannot live with their families due to behavioral issues. They must monitor the behavior of residents, especially those with a troubled past.

What does a personal care worker do?

A personal care worker is responsible for providing quality health care services for elders and disabled persons. Personal care workers are usually employed in a private household setting or a special healthcare institution, assisting patients with their daily activities, and monitoring their conditions. They update the patients' medical charts, administer medication from the physician's prescriptions, and manage their food intake. A personal care worker must be highly-organized, especially when attending to patients' needs, inquiries, and concerns.

Group home worker vs personal care worker salary

Group home workers and personal care workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Group Home WorkerPersonal Care Worker
Average salary$40,224$29,490
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $54,000Between $22,000 And $38,000
Highest paying CityFairbanks, AKLynn, MA
Highest paying stateHawaiiMassachusetts
Best paying companyTexasTyson Foods
Best paying industryManufacturingProfessional

Differences between group home worker and personal care worker education

There are a few differences between a group home worker and a personal care worker in terms of educational background:

Group Home WorkerPersonal Care Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%High School Diploma, 36%
Most common majorPsychologyNursing
Most common college--

Group home worker vs personal care worker demographics

Here are the differences between group home workers' and personal care workers' demographics:

Group Home WorkerPersonal Care Worker
Average age5048
Gender ratioMale, 26.8% Female, 73.2%Male, 16.4% Female, 83.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 24.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 23.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 35.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 10.2% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage5%7%

Differences between group home worker and personal care worker duties and responsibilities

Group home worker example responsibilities.

  • Provide companionship, socialization and emotional support.
  • Provide transportation to medical appointments and transfer patients in and out of wheelchairs
  • Experience working with the elderly, Alzheimer's or dementia patients.
  • Maintain the living areas by cleaning, doing laundry, and shopping for groceries.
  • Plan meals, shopping for groceries, preparing and serving food/meals, feeding, and clean-up.
  • Assist and redirect clients with ADL skills, transport clients to daily activities, and focuse on documentation.
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Personal care worker example responsibilities.

  • Manage provider network to include verifying claims and benefits for healthcare providers/members and insurance companies.
  • Assist in transfers using a gate belt or a hoyer lift.
  • Use a Hoyer lift to transport patient out of bed to their wheel chair
  • Perform light maintance which include switching window screens and storm windows, installing and removing air conditioning units.
  • Care for mentally and physically disable individuals, bathing, feeding, house cleaning duties, tolieting, medicines, CPR certify
  • Travele to different client homes to assist with ADL's i.e., laundry, bathing, grooming, cleaning, etc.
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Group home worker vs personal care worker skills

Common group home worker skills
  • Social Work, 31%
  • Crisis Intervention, 20%
  • Data Entry, 12%
  • Meal Prep, 7%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Independent Living, 5%
Common personal care worker skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • Home Health, 20%
  • Good Communication, 13%
  • In-Home Care, 12%
  • Companionship, 5%
  • Patient Care, 2%

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