Caregiver titles and requirements

Caregiver, HCA, CNA, CHHA, hospice aide, what the titles mean and what you need.

Job titles in care work overlap, but the requirements don’t. A "caregiver" job at one agency may need only a background check; a "home health aide" job needs a state certificate. Here’s a plain guide to the common titles, where to confirm what each one requires, and how to spot a job ad that isn’t real.

The titles

What each title means and what’s usually required

Caregiver or companion

Non-medical help, company, meals, errands, reminders, light personal care, usually in someone’s home or a care home. Employers use the title loosely, so read each listing for the exact duties. Often needs a background check; some settings also need state registration (see Home Care Aide).

Home Care Aide (HCA)

Non-medical help in someone’s home, working for a licensed Home Care Organization. You register with the state’s Home Care Aide Registry and pass a background check, details at the CDSS Home Care Services Branch, linked below.

CNA or Certified Home Health Aide (CHHA)

Hands-on personal and basic nursing care under a nurse’s supervision, in a nursing facility, hospital or someone’s home. Both need a state certificate from the California Department of Public Health; a CHHA builds on a CNA certificate.

Hospice aide

Personal care for people on hospice, as part of a hospice team, usually in the person’s home or a care home. Employers typically ask for a CNA or CHHA certificate; the listing should say which, and how much travel to expect.

Safer job search

Money requests are a warning, not an application step.

Be cautious when a supposed employer asks for gift cards, cryptocurrency, deposits, bank details or payment for equipment before you start. Check that the employer’s email and website match, and apply through the employer’s own page, the one shown on the listing.

Read FTC job-scam guidance →

Where the work happens

The same title can mean different work in different settings.

A listing should say whether the work is in someone’s home, on a hospice or home-health team, or in a residential-care or senior-living building. Compare who supervises you, how much travel there is, the shift pattern, the day-to-day duties and who you’ll be caring for.

Official sources

Where to confirm the requirements

Reading a listing

Questions a good listing answers

Who wrote the job description, and does the link open the employer’s own current posting?
Who employs and supervises the role?
Where is the work, and how much travel is expected?
What is the pay range, and is it hourly, per visit or salaried?
Which schedule, shifts and employment type apply?
Which qualifications are required on day one?
Where does the employer collect the application?