Personal Care Caregiver

Bathing and personal hygiene

• Assist clients with bathing, showering, sponge bathing, and personal hygiene routines.
• Provide assistance with grooming activities.
• Assist with oral hygiene, hair care, shaving assistance, and personal appearance.
• Maintain client privacy, dignity, and independence during personal care activities.

Dressing and grooming

• Assist clients with selecting appropriate clothing.
• Assist with dressing and undressing.
• Provide support with footwear, personal grooming, and appearance.
• Encourage independence whenever safely possible.

Toileting and continence care

• Assist clients with toileting routines.
• Provide continence care according to the client's authorized service plan.
• Maintain infection prevention practices.
• Provide respectful and dignified assistance.

Mobility assistance

• Assist clients with safe movement within the home.
• Assist with ambulation according to the client's care plan.
• Assist with transfers only after appropriate training and competency validation.
• Use mobility equipment only as trained and authorized.

Nutrition and meal support

Personal Care Caregivers may:

• Prepare meals according to client preferences and approved plans.
• Assist clients with eating and hydration.
• Encourage appropriate nutrition and fluid intake.
• Observe and report changes in appetite, swallowing concerns, weight changes, or dietary concerns.

Personal Care Caregivers shall not provide medical nutrition therapy or make medical dietary decisions.

Medication assistance

Personal Care Caregivers may:

• Provide medication reminders.
• Assist clients with self-directed medication routines when permitted by applicable regulations and company policy.
• Observe and report medication concerns.

Personal Care Caregivers shall not administer medications, change medication doses, fill medication organizers, or provide medication decisions or clinical advice.

Homemaker and companion responsibilities

The Personal Care Caregiver may also provide:

• Companionship and social support.
• Light housekeeping.
• Laundry.
• Linen changes.
• Meal preparation.
• Grocery shopping.
• Errands.
• Client-directed household assistance.
• Transportation support when authorized.

Observation and reporting responsibilities

The Personal Care Caregiver is responsible for observing and promptly reporting:

• Changes in physical condition.
• Changes in mental status or behavior.
• Falls or safety concerns.
• Skin changes or areas of concern.
• Signs of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
• Medication concerns.
• Environmental hazards.
• Client refusal of care.
• Emergencies, injuries, or incidents.

All concerns must be reported according to Noble Life policies.

Documentation responsibilities

The Personal Care Caregiver shall:

• Complete required visit documentation accurately and timely.
• Document services provided.
• Document observations and client responses.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Submit required reports according to company procedures.

Documentation must reflect services actually provided and must never contain inaccurate, incomplete, or misleading information.

Services outside scope of practice

Personal Care Caregivers shall not perform duties outside their training, competency, or authorization, including:

• Skilled nursing services.
• Wound care.
• Injections.
• Medical treatments.
• Medication administration.
• Assessment of medical conditions.
• Changing treatment plans.
• Tasks requiring licensed healthcare professionals.

Employees must contact the Administrator or Supervisor whenever there is uncertainty regarding authorized duties.

Client rights and professional conduct

Personal Care Caregivers shall:

• Protect client dignity and privacy.
• Respect client choices and independence.
• Maintain professional boundaries.
• Protect confidential information.
• Treat every client with respect, compassion, and cultural sensitivity.
• Avoid accepting inappropriate gifts, money, loans, or personal relationships with clients.

Minimum qualifications

Applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Have the ability to communicate effectively.
• Demonstrate compassion, patience, and reliability.
• Successfully complete required employment screening.
• Successfully complete Noble Life orientation.
• Successfully complete required personal care training and competency validation.
• Maintain required certifications or qualifications when applicable.

Preferred qualifications: previous caregiving experience; experience assisting older adults or individuals with disabilities; dementia or memory-care experience.

Required background and employment requirements

Prior to providing services, employees must complete requirements established by Noble Life and applicable regulations, which may include:

• Employment application.
• Identity and employment verification.
• Criminal background screening.
• Required registry checks when applicable.
• Reference verification.
• Health screening requirements.
• Orientation and competency evaluation.

Physical requirements

The position requires the ability to:

• Stand, walk, bend, kneel, and reach.
• Assist clients with personal care activities.
• Safely perform transfers and mobility assistance after training.
• Lift and carry items related to client care.
• Navigate residential environments.
• Travel locally between client residences.

Reasonable accommodations may be provided consistent with applicable disability laws.

Work environment

Services are provided in private client residences throughout New Hampshire. Employees may encounter:

• Household pets.
• Stairs.
• Variable home environments.
• Weather-related travel conditions.
• Cleaning products.
• Personal care situations requiring professionalism and discretion.

Local travel between client homes is an essential function of this position.

Required training and competency

Before independently providing personal care services, employees must successfully complete:

• Noble Life orientation.
• Client rights and responsibilities.
• Confidentiality and privacy requirements.
• Abuse, neglect, and exploitation recognition/reporting.
• Infection prevention.
• Universal precautions.
• Emergency procedures.
• Documentation requirements.
• Personal care skills training.
• ADL assistance training.
• Safe transfer and mobility training.
• Fall prevention.
• Dementia awareness.
• Professional boundaries.
• Competency demonstration and supervisor approval.

Annual education and competency review shall be completed as required by company policy and applicable regulations.

Compliance responsibilities

Employees must comply with:

• Noble Life policies and procedures.
• Applicable New Hampshire home care licensing requirements.
• Applicable New Hampshire statutes and administrative rules.
• OSHA workplace safety requirements.
• HIPAA privacy requirements where applicable.
• Federal and state employment requirements.

Equal employment opportunity

Noble Life is committed to providing equal employment opportunities. Employment decisions are made without regard to legally protected characteristics under applicable federal and New Hampshire law.

At-will employment

Employment with Noble Life is at will. Nothing in this Position Description creates an employment contract or guarantees employment for any specific period. Noble Life reserves the right to modify duties, responsibilities, and assignments based on client needs, operational requirements, and regulatory requirements.