Domiciliary Care Job Description: Roles, Responsibilities and Skills in South Africa

Domiciliary care plays a critical role in supporting older people, people with disabilities and those with long‑term health conditions to live safely and independently in their own homes. A clear and accurate domiciliary care job description helps employers, care workers and families understand what the role involves, which skills are required, and how care must comply with South African health and social care standards.

Below is an overview of the role based on guidance from South African government and professional bodies, together with typical duties and requirements found in home‑care and domiciliary care roles.

Overview of the Domiciliary Care Role

In South Africa, domiciliary care generally refers to personal and supportive care delivered in a person’s own residence, often called home‑based care or home‑ and community‑based care. The National Department of Health describes home‑based care as any form of care given to a sick person in their home, including physical, psychosocial, palliative and spiritual care, coordinated by the family and supported by skilled caregivers and health professionals (South African National Department of Health – Home‑Based Care Policy).

Domiciliary carers may be employed by:

Non‑profit organisations and community‑based organisations (CBOs)
Private home care agencies
Public sector or contracted services linked to district health systems
Families directly, especially for live‑in or part‑time care

The South African Department of Social Development notes that home‑ and community‑based care services may include personal care, health promotion, support with activities of daily living (ADLs), and assistance to maintain social functioning for older persons and other vulnerable groups (Older Persons Act implementation guidelines).

Within this framework, a domiciliary care job description typically focuses on:

Supporting a person’s activities of daily living at home
Helping them maintain dignity, independence and safety
Working under the guidance of a nurse, social worker or care coordinator, depending on the service model

Key Responsibilities in a Domiciliary Care Job Description

While tasks vary by employer and client needs, several core responsibilities appear consistently in South African home‑based and domiciliary care roles.

1. Personal Care and Activities of Daily Living

Guidance on home‑based care from the Department of Health emphasises support with basic and instrumental activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, mobility and feeding, tailored to the individual’s abilities and care plan (Home‑Based Care Guidelines, National Department of Health).

A typical domiciliary care job description will therefore include:

Assisting with personal hygiene (bathing, showering, grooming, oral care)
Helping with dressing and undressing
Supporting toileting needs, continence care and use of appropriate aids
Assisting with mobility, transfers, and safe use of walking aids
Supporting safe feeding and hydration, as required

Private home care providers in South Africa similarly list personal care tasks, for example CareChamp’s description of home‑based carers includes help with washing, dressing, toileting and mobility in the client’s home (CareChamp – Home Care Services Overview).

2. Household Tasks and Meal Preparation

The Department of Social Development’s home‑ and community‑based care guidelines highlight that services often include basic household tasks and meal preparation for vulnerable persons who cannot manage alone (DSD – Community‑based Care Services Guidance).

Accordingly, domiciliary care duties often cover:

Light housekeeping directly related to the client’s wellbeing (e.g., cleaning the bathroom used by the client, changing bed linen)
Preparing simple, nutritious meals in line with dietary requirements
Assisting with shopping or arranging groceries, as permitted by the employer
Ensuring the immediate environment is safe, tidy and hygienic

3. Basic Health Support and Monitoring

Within South Africa’s home‑based care model, community and domiciliary carers often have responsibilities linked to basic health support under supervision. The National Department of Health outlines that home‑based carers may monitor symptoms, encourage adherence to medication, and report changes to a supervising nurse or clinic (National Department of Health – Home‑Based Care Guidelines).

A domiciliary care job description will typically specify:

Observing and reporting changes in physical or mental condition to the relevant professional or agency
Supporting medication routines as per the care plan and legal scope of practice (e.g., reminding the client to take medication, not prescribing or altering doses)
Assisting clients to follow basic health promotion advice, such as hygiene, nutrition and mobility exercises recommended by professionals

Where the domiciliary carer is an enrolled nurse or auxiliary nurse operating in a home‑based role, additional nursing responsibilities (within regulatory scope) may be included according to the South African Nursing Council (SANC) scope of practice (SANC – Regulations Regarding the Scope of Practice).

4. Emotional, Social and Companionship Support

The Department of Health’s definition of home‑based care includes psychosocial and spiritual support as part of comprehensive care in the home setting (Home‑Based Care Guidelines). Similarly, community‑based care services for older persons aim to prevent social isolation and maintain social functioning (DSD older persons services overview).

Therefore, domiciliary carers are often expected to:

Provide companionship, conversation and emotional support
Support clients to maintain contact with family, friends and community groups, where appropriate
Encourage participation in meaningful activities, such as reading, hobbies or light exercise according to the care plan

5. Record‑Keeping and Communication

Effective communication and accurate records are emphasised across home‑based care guidelines in South Africa. The National Department of Health recommends that home‑based carers use standardised tools and reporting lines to keep supervising staff informed (National DoH Home‑Based Care Guidelines).

A domiciliary care job description will typically include:

Maintaining daily notes or visit records in line with agency policy
Reporting concerns, incidents or deterioration promptly to a supervisor, nurse, social worker or family contact, as appropriate
Respecting client confidentiality and handling information according to organisational policies and applicable South African legislation, such as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) (Information Regulator South Africa – POPIA overview).

Skills, Qualifications and Requirements for Domiciliary Care Roles

Specific requirements vary between employers and between unregulated home‑based carers and regulated health professionals, but recent South African guidance highlights several recurring elements.

1. Foundational Training for Home‑Based Carers

The Department of Health recommends that community and home‑based carers complete standardised training aligned with the Home‑Based Carer (HBC) qualification or relevant skills programmes, covering topics such as basic nursing care, home‑based care, palliative care and infection prevention (National Department of Health – Home‑Based Care Guidelines).

Common requirements in domiciliary care job descriptions may include:

Completion of a home‑based care or community care worker course offered by accredited South African training providers, aligned with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) or relevant Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA)
Basic understanding of infection prevention and control, manual handling and personal care techniques
Literacy and numeracy sufficient for documentation and reading care plans

Some private home‑care agencies, such as CareChamp, state that they recruit carers who have accredited caregiver training and, in some cases, nursing or auxiliary nursing qualifications (CareChamp – How We Recruit and Vet Carers).

2. Regulatory Requirements for Nursing Staff in Domiciliary Roles

If the domiciliary care position is for a registered nurse, enrolled nurse or auxiliary nurse providing home‑based clinical care, South African regulatory rules apply:

Registration with the South African Nursing Council (SANC) is compulsory for professional and enrolled nurses, and they must practice within the defined scope for their category (SANC – Registration and Scope of Practice).
Employers may specify additional experience in community health, geriatric nursing or palliative care for home‑based nursing posts.

3. Core Competencies and Personal Attributes

Across government and provider guidance, several soft skills and attributes are consistently valued in domiciliary care roles:

Compassion and empathy when working with older people, people with disabilities and those with chronic or terminal illness, highlighted in Department of Social Development materials on services for older persons and vulnerable groups (DSD – Services to Older Persons).
Respect for dignity, culture and autonomy of clients, in line with the principles in the Older Persons Act 13 of 2006, which emphasises respect, participation and care in community settings (Older Persons Act guidelines).
Communication skills to liaise with clients, families and multidisciplinary teams, as encouraged in National Department of Health home‑based care protocols.
Reliability and time management, as domiciliary care often involves scheduled home visits and adherence to specific care routines.
Ability to work independently in the client’s home while following care plans and organisational policies.

Employers may also require:

A clear criminal record and background checks, especially when working with older persons and other vulnerable groups, in accordance with provisions under the Older Persons Act and related safeguarding policies.
Physical fitness appropriate to the demands of manual handling, mobility support and household tasks.

Additional Considerations in a South African Domiciliary Care Job Description

Working Environment and Hours

Home‑based and domiciliary care is often delivered:

On a shift basis, including early mornings, evenings, weekends and public holidays
As live‑in care, where the carer stays in the client’s home for agreed periods
As visiting care, with multiple clients visited in one day

The specific pattern depends on the service model (for example, non‑profit community outreach versus private, individually commissioned care). Organisations often state that flexibility and willingness to travel between households are essential, especially in district health‑linked community programmes described by the National Department of Health (Home‑Based Care within District Health Systems).

Health and Safety and Infection Control

The Department of Health’s home‑based care guidelines place strong emphasis on infection prevention, safe waste disposal, safe handling of sharps (when relevant) and environmental safety in the home setting. A comprehensive domiciliary care job description in South Africa should therefore mention:

Following infection prevention and control protocols (hand hygiene, use of gloves and other personal protective equipment as required)
Identifying and reporting environmental risks in the home, such as fall hazards
Adhering to organisational health and safety policies that align with national standards

Ethical and Legal Responsibilities

Domiciliary carers are expected to act in line with South African legal and ethical frameworks that protect vulnerable persons. Relevant guidance includes:

The Older Persons Act 13 of 2006, which outlines rights of older persons to care, protection and participation in decisions affecting them (Older Persons Act guidelines – DSD).
Confidentiality and data protection requirements under POPIA, as described by the Information Regulator (Information Regulator – POPIA Overview).
Duty to report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of vulnerable clients to appropriate authorities, consistent with Department of Social Development safeguarding guidance.

Conclusion

A well‑structured domiciliary care job description in South Africa should align with national home‑based care policies, social development frameworks and relevant professional regulations. Based on guidance from the National Department of Health, the Department of Social Development and professional councils, the core elements of the role include:

Providing personal care and support with daily living tasks in the client’s own home
Assisting with basic health monitoring, household tasks and meal preparation
Offering emotional support, companionship and help to remain connected with family and community
Maintaining accurate records, respecting confidentiality and communicating effectively with supervisors and families
Meeting training and competency requirements, and complying with legislation such as the Older Persons Act and POPIA

Employers can use these elements, together with their specific service model, to create clear and compliant job descriptions that support safe, dignified and person‑centred domiciliary care across South Africa.

Domiciliary Care Job Description