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The differences between senior caregivers and personal care assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior caregiver has an average salary of $28,771, which is higher than the $26,643 average annual salary of a personal care assistant.
The top three skills for a senior caregiver include companionship, senior care and in-home care. The most important skills for a personal care assistant are patients, CPR, and home health.
| Senior Caregiver | Personal Care Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $28,771 | $26,643 |
| Hourly rate | $13.83 | $12.81 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 67,227 | 256,869 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | 4.67 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A senior caregiver is responsible for supporting the elderly, disabled patients, and other persons with illnesses or has difficulty managing themselves alone and assist them with their daily activities. Senior caregivers monitor the patients' behaviors, keep records of health conditions, administer medications, and prepare the patients for medical procedures. They also coordinate with the attending physicians and other medical health professionals in developing quality care plans and services for the patients, following the standard procedures and health safety requirements.
Personal care assistants are employed to help individuals who may need special attention or assistance. They are usually trained to care for individuals with specific conditions, whether physically or mentally. Personal care assistants manage their meal plans, medicine intake, daily schedule, and therapy, among others. They help their clients move, eat, bathe, and dress. They also run errands and provide any other assistance that their clients may need. Personal care assistants also provide emotional and moral support to their clients. They are also in touch with medical professionals and provide updates on the health of their clients.
Senior caregivers and personal care assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Caregiver | Personal Care Assistant | |
| Average salary | $28,771 | $26,643 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $37,000 | Between $18,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, OR | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | CARE | Massachusetts General Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a senior caregiver and a personal care assistant in terms of educational background:
| Senior Caregiver | Personal Care Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Most common major | Business | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between senior caregivers' and personal care assistants' demographics:
| Senior Caregiver | Personal Care Assistant | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 12.2% Female, 87.8% | Male, 15.0% Female, 85.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 8.0% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 8.7% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |