Visiting homemakers provide ongoing or short-term home support services for individuals and families during periods of incapacitation, convalescence or family disruption. They are employed by government, non-profit and home care agencies, or are self-employed. Housekeepers perform housekeeping and other home management duties in private households and other residential establishments. Companions provide elderly and convalescent clients with companionship and personal care in residential or institutional settings. They are employed by home care agencies or may be self-employed. Foster parents care for children or family members in their homes under the direction of a foster parent agency.
Visiting homemakers perform some or all of the following duties:
Housekeepers perform some or all of the following duties:
Companions perform some or all of the following duties:
Foster parents perform some or all of the following duties:
Visiting homemakers and housekeeping attendants need the following characteristics:
The working conditions of this group vary greatly. Domestic workers may live in the household where they work or they may come in at regularly scheduled times, usually during weekday daytime hours. Live-in workers generally have their own living quarters and are more likely to be on call or experience irregular hours.
Homemakers and personal care attendants may work in one location or they may travel from one place to another to provide services to several clients in a day. Caregivers who schedule their own appointments usually need their own means of transportation. Some agencies offer 24-hour service and shift work (including weekends) may be required. Housekeeping duties can be physically demanding. Caring for clients, particularly those who are elderly or immobile can be strenuous. Conditions vary from place to place. Some homes are clean and tidy while others are not. Some clients are cooperative while others may be difficult.
Part time work is very common (41%) in this occupation. There are limited opportunities for self-employment.
$20,800 per annum - starting
$26,500 per annum - average
$37,200 per annum - high
Earnings are reviewed annually or more frequently if new information becomes available.
People in these occupations may move to positions requiring a different level of care and responsibility.
Housekeepers may move to personal care or visiting homemaker jobs with additional training. Some individuals may become nannies or house cleaners.
With experience home care workers may become supervisors and program managers.
Employment prospects for visiting homemakers, housekeepers, and related occupations are expected to be good in the period 2010 to 2014. This is a large occupational group positively affected by labour market trends and high replacement needs. Employment in Manitoba in 2010 is estimated at 5,500.
There are a number of factors that influence the demand for homecare services. The aging population will have more health problems and require more personal care services. Patients are moved out of hospitals as early as possible. Shorter hospital stays increase the reliance on home care for patients of all ages. Advances in medical technologies enable more treatments to be administered at home. In many cases medical care and convalescence are cheaper, more effective, and more desirable at home than in institutions. Even elderly citizens who are not sick often need support services to be able to remain in their own homes. This alleviates some of the pressure of long waiting lists for personal care facility spaces.
A high rate of employee turnover will create additional openings. The age profile for this occupation indicates a labour force older than the average for all occupations. As the work is often physically demanding, there will be a significant number of vacancies caused by attrition.
The majority work in Health Care and Social Assistance (75%) and a very small minority in Farms (11%) and Other Services (except Public Administration) (7%). There are relatively more jobs in Northern Manitoba, Parklands region and South Central Manitoba and fewer in Winnipeg, when compared to the distribution for all occupations.
Employment by Region |
This Occupation | All Occupations |
| North | 8% | 5% |
| Parklands | 6% | 3% |
| Interlake | 7% | 8% |
| Winnipeg | 46% | 58% |
| North Central | 8% | 4% |
| Southwest | 9% | 9% |
| South Central | 6% | 5% |
| Southeast | 10% | 8% |
Employment by Gender |
This Occupation | All Occupations |
| Males | 13% | 53% |
| Females | 87% | 47% |
| This Occupation | All Occupations | |
Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification |
17% | 10% |
| This Occupation | All Occupations | |
Employment by Visible Minority |
0% | 0% |
Please Note - The source for above charts is the 2006 Census.