What are personal care assistants (PCAs) responsible for in independent living?

Personal care assistants (PCAs) play a crucial role in supporting individuals in independent living by providing assistance with daily living activities. This responsibility commonly includes helping with tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation, and medication management. The primary focus of a PCA is to enhance the individual’s ability to live independently by ensuring they can perform essential everyday tasks safely and comfortably.

While transportation services, financial management, and psychological counseling are important aspects of overall support for individuals in independent living, those functions fall outside the primary scope of a PCA's responsibilities. PCAs are trained more for hands-on personal care and assistance rather than offering specialized services like financial advice or mental health support. Thus, the core duty of a PCA is to focus on the personal care needs of individuals to help them maintain their independence and well-being.