Home care assistant
A home care assistant helps families and individuals in everyday chores and household management. The duties may include cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, clothing care and other household tasks. A home care assistant may also help in childcare, in the care of the elderly or the sick, as well as in other personal assistance tasks. A home care assistant often works as an employee of a home service company or as a self-employed person. The profession requires reliability, carefulness and good social skills.
Municipalities, home service companies and self-employed.
In the profession of a home care assistant, it is essential to master various household tasks, such as cooking, cleaning, doing laundry and ironing. This requires the ability to use household appliances and cleaning agents correctly and safely. Hygiene and safety competence is particularly important, especially in the care of children, the elderly or the sick.
Social skills are also important, as a home care assistant is often in close interaction with customers. Empathy, good listening skills and patience help to create a trusting and positive relationship with customers. In addition, flexibility and the ability to adapt to different situations are required, since customers’ needs may vary greatly.
A home care assistant must be a good organiser and time manager in order to handle several tasks efficiently and systematically. Reliability and a sense of responsibility are essential qualities, as a home care assistant often works independently in the customer’s home, and their work contribution directly affects the smooth running of the customer’s everyday life.
Basic care skills are important, especially if the home care assistant supports elderly, sick or disabled persons. This may include maintaining basic hygiene and assisting with mobility. Initiative is needed in this profession.
A driving licence may be necessary when travelling between customers.
A Vocational Qualification in Social and Health Care (practical nurse) can be completed in upper secondary vocational institutions. The qualification can also be completed through an apprenticeship.
The eligibility requirements in the field of social services are defined in the Act and Decree on the Qualification Requirements for Professional Social Welfare Personnel.
Median salary
3154 €/mo
Private sector
2807 €/mo
Public sector
3175 €/mo
The data is based on the median income, meaning the amount of salary which is the middle of the salary amounts arranged in order of magnitude.
Source: Statistics Finland's structural statistics on wages and salaries