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Home attendant vs primary caregiver

The differences between home attendants and primary caregivers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a primary caregiver has an average salary of $29,576, which is higher than the $26,269 average annual salary of a home attendant.

The top three skills for a home attendant include patients, meal preparation and laundry services. The most important skills for a primary caregiver are home health, senior care, and PET.

Home attendant vs primary caregiver overview

Home AttendantPrimary Caregiver
Yearly salary$26,269$29,576
Hourly rate$12.63$14.22
Growth rate36%36%
Number of jobs195,23150,392
Job satisfaction-4
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 29%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age5048
Years of experience--

Home attendant vs primary caregiver salary

Home attendants and primary caregivers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Home AttendantPrimary Caregiver
Average salary$26,269$29,576
Salary rangeBetween $18,000 And $37,000Between $22,000 And $38,000
Highest paying CityBethel, AK-
Highest paying stateAlaska-
Best paying companyAramark-
Best paying industryHospitality-

Differences between home attendant and primary caregiver education

There are a few differences between a home attendant and a primary caregiver in terms of educational background:

Home AttendantPrimary Caregiver
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 29%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common majorNursingBusiness
Most common college--

Home attendant vs primary caregiver demographics

Here are the differences between home attendants' and primary caregivers' demographics:

Home AttendantPrimary Caregiver
Average age5048
Gender ratioMale, 19.3% Female, 80.7%Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8%
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, 11.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage5%7%

Differences between home attendant and primary caregiver duties and responsibilities

Home attendant example responsibilities.

  • Provide companionship, escort patients to medical appointments, monitor vital signs, perform housekeeping along with laundry/cooking.
  • Provide compassionate, meticulous care for elderly patiently suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
  • Compose and fill home needs such as groceries and other home supplies for patients.
  • Assist with ADL, prepare meals, accompany to doctor visit, assist with medication.
  • Skil in changing subra pubic catheter, wind vac, wet to dry wind dressings and medical supply inventory.
  • Assist with the completion of ADL skills and engage clients with stimulating conversations to help keep memory and focus current.
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Primary caregiver example responsibilities.

  • Assist patient with ADL's.
  • Handle all referrals to housing, detoxification, rehabilitation, organization, and agencies.
  • Verse and familiar with caring for a patient with mild to advance Alzheimer's disease.
  • Step away from full-time work to serve as caregiver to grandmother diagnose with Alzheimer's disease.
  • Provide routine personal care and companionship.
  • Provide transportation within community, supervise and provide companionship for clients during physician appointment, shopping and errands.
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Home attendant vs primary caregiver skills

Common home attendant skills
  • Patients, 29%
  • Meal Preparation, 15%
  • Laundry Services, 11%
  • Bed Linens, 5%
  • Vital Signs, 4%
  • Doctor Appointments, 4%
Common primary caregiver skills
  • Home Health, 44%
  • Senior Care, 19%
  • PET, 16%
  • Autism, 11%
  • Dementia Care, 4%
  • Taking Care, 2%

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