What the caregiver job is like
Pay, hours, the work itself, a sample shift, and the people you'd work with.
The facts first
- Pay
Hourly, as a W-2 employee. Ask Nikita about the rate for the shifts you want.
- Hours
Full-time and part-time. Shifts of 3 to 12 hours, mornings, afternoons, evenings, and overnights. We have clients who fit most availabilities, and the schedulers build around yours.
- Employment
W-2 employee of Assured Assistance. We handle insurance, workers' compensation, taxes, and payroll. You're bonded and insured through us.
- Requirements
A driver's license, a reliable car (you'll drive clients in it), and a Pennsylvania criminal background check, plus a face-to-face interview and references.
- Training
Training in our office and then on the job with an experienced caregiver, with competency testing, and it continues in the field.
- Where
Clients' homes and long-term care facilities across Berks County. The office is at 225 N. Kenhorst Blvd., Reading.
- Who you'd report to
Nikita Whitfield, Staffing Coordinator, who hires, trains, and checks in with every caregiver.
- How to apply
The online application, or call the office.
What the job actually is
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The Work
You're in someone's home, helping with the parts of everyday life they can no longer manage on their own. Helping a man shower and get dressed at his own pace. Making breakfast and reminding a woman to take her medications, then making sure she's taken them. Changing the sheets, doing laundry, and leaving the kitchen tidy. Driving a client to a doctor's appointment in your own car and waiting until they're ready to go home. Sitting down to play cards with someone who hasn't had a visitor in days.
This work takes patience, good judgment, and the ability to meet people where they are—even on the difficult days. You won't always leave a shift feeling like you've changed someone's life. But you'll know you showed up, did the work, and helped someone get through their day with a little more dignity and a little less worry. That matters. Every shift matters.
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The Hard Parts of the Job
Toileting and incontinence care. A client who refuses a shower for the third time. An afternoon spent with someone whose dementia turns frustration toward you. Driving in February weather. A shift that ends with an upset family member, even when the problem wasn't yours to solve.
Caregiving isn't always easy, and we won't pretend it is. If you've done this work before, you know. If you're new to caregiving, we'll train you, support you, and be honest with you about what the job really involves before you begin.
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What the Office Does for You
When you need help, someone answers the phone. We have an office staff member on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No answering service, no explaining everything to a stranger. When something goes wrong at 9 p.m. in a client's kitchen, you can reach someone who knows the client and can help you work through it.
We also cross-train you with more than one client, so when a shift gets canceled, it doesn't have to mean lost hours. And our office staff visits clients in their homes to check on how care is going. They see the work you're doing, the relationships you're building, and the difference you make.
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What we look for
- Patience, most of all. The shower takes as long as it takes.
- Reliability. Clients count the minutes until you arrive.
- Empathy, and the ability to say so out loud.
- Flexibility, because life happens to clients too.
- Problem-solving. The stove, the stairs, the medications, the mood.
- Communication. You tell the family how the day went.
What a Shift Looks Like
Our shifts range from 3 to 12 hours, providing help with personal care, meals, medication reminders, light housekeeping, errands, and companionship. You won't be expected to walk in and figure everything out on your own. The office completes care plans for every client detailing their needs and daily routine, and when possible, the caregiver you're replacing will walk you through the details before you take over. You are always supported.
We schedule caregivers in shifts to provide consistent care while making room for your own life. When your shift ends, another caregiver takes over, so you can head home, spend time with your family, and enjoy time away from work. Caring for others is important, but so is having time for the people who depend on you.
A 6-hour morning, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Arrive, check the notes, help him shower and dress
- Breakfast, medication reminders, the dishes
- Laundry running, a walk to the corner
- Lunch together, then a ride to the 1:00 appointment and back
Why Here and Not the Agency Down the Road?
We've been locally owned and serving Reading and Berks County since 2003. We're not a franchise, and the people making decisions about your schedule work right here in our office. When you call, you reach someone who knows the clients, understands the job, and can help.
We could tell you that we value our caregivers, but we'd rather show you. That means training before you start, someone available by phone around the clock when you need help, and an office team that stays involved in the care you're providing. We have bi-monthly staff meetings to keep everyone informed and offer you an opportunity to stay connected.
Meet the office team. See what our clients need. Get a realistic picture of the work before you come in for an interview.
Apply online, or call and ask for Nikita.
The application is online. If you'd rather talk first, a person from our office answers.