 A new place like home is more than a line from the Wizard of Oz. It's a proven fact. Studies have shown that the elderly live longer, happier lives when they can stay in their own homes. Personal home care assistants are the people who make that possible, not only for the elderly, but for anyone who needs help handling the daily chores of life. The duties vary with the client's needs, but they may include helping with grooming and dressing, changing and washing sheets and towels, dusting, vacuuming, and other lighthouse keeping chores. Grocery shopping, meal preparation, and driving clients to medical appointments may also be involved. Personal home care assistants are there to lend a helping hand, not to administer medicine or oversee physical therapy. Maturity, thoughtfulness, a love of people, and patience are far more important than academic training. Practical matters aside, a personal home care assistant can do a world of good by simply listening and taking a personal interest in an elderly or homebound individual. There are many ways to enter this profession. County and city health departments, social service agencies, hospitals, and nursing homes are good places to start. So too are the Red Cross, the United Way, and the Washington, D.C.-based National Association for Home Care. You won't get rich as a personal home care assistant, but the need is great and the emotional rewards are boundless.