Personal care aides typically do the following:

• Care for and assist clients with cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer's or mental illness
• Engage clients by talking to or playing games with them, or by taking them for walks
• Help clients with hygiene-related tasks, such as bathing, brushing teeth, and going to the bathroom
• Transfer clients to and from a bed or a wheelchair
• Complete housekeeping tasks, such as changing bed linens, washing dishes, and cleaning living areas
• Help prepare and plan meals
• Assist with organizing a client's schedule and schedule appointments
• Arrange transportation to and from doctors' offices or the store
• Help clients pay bills or manage money
• Shop for personal items and groceries
• Assist clients in going to work and participating in their communities

Personal care aides - also called caregivers and personal attendants - help clients with self-care and daily activities. Personal care aides perform tasks that are similar to those of home health aides. However, personal care aides cannot provide any medical services, whereas home health aides may provide basic medical services.

Direct support professionals work with people who have developmental or intellectual disabilities. They may help create a behavior plan and teach self-care skills, such as doing laundry or cooking meals. They may also provide other personal assistance services.