Resident care associate vs companion

The differences between resident care associates and companions can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a resident care associate has an average salary of $30,497, which is higher than the $29,246 average annual salary of a companion.

The top three skills for a resident care associate include resident care, administer medications and RCA. The most important skills for a companion are companionship, patients, and home health.

Resident care associate vs companion overview

	Resident Care Associate	Companion
Yearly salary	$30,497	$29,246
Hourly rate	$14.66	$14.06
Growth rate	36%	36%
Number of jobs	130,625	75,753
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 26%	High School Diploma, 28%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	-	-

What does a resident care associate do?

Resident Care Associates are responsible for providing support and care to individuals living in nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Their duties include assisting residents with daily tasks such as eating, bathing, and dressing, audit care records, as well as making sure patients take their prescribed medications. They implement daily group activities, attend to medical or safety issues, and communicates any concerns to a resident's family members as required.

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.

Resident care associate vs companion salary

Resident care associates and companions have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Resident Care Associate	Companion
Average salary	$30,497	$29,246
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $38,000	Between $22,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Salem, OR	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	Oregon	Washington
Best paying company	The Philadelphia Coalition	Merck
Best paying industry	Media	Non Profits

Differences between resident care associate and companion education

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

	Resident Care Associate	Companion
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 26%	High School Diploma, 28%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	-	-

Resident care associate vs companion demographics

Here are the differences between resident care associates' and companions' demographics:

	Resident Care Associate	Companion
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 14.6% Female, 85.4%	Male, 12.1% Female, 87.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.7% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	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 Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between resident care associate and companion duties and responsibilities

Resident care associate example responsibilities.

Assist Alzheimer patients with daily activities including personal care, administering medications and communicating with their families.
Assist in rehabilitation to transfer home.
Have been train to administer medication, CPR train, and mechanical lift train.
Maintain cleanliness throughout med pass, and practice aseptic technique when pouring and assisting with medication.
Assist with ADL's, medication assistance, dinning room service, answering the telephones and front desk monitoring.
Care for residents with diagnosis such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and arthritis.

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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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Resident care associate vs companion skills

Common resident care associate skills

Resident Care, 24%
Administer Medications, 13%
RCA, 12%
Assist Residents, 7%
Emergency Situations, 6%
Pathogens, 5%

Common companion skills

Companionship, 20%
Patients, 16%
Home Health, 7%
Provide Emotional Support, 7%
Patient Care, 7%
Meal Prep, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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