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Failed my Senior Care certification twice — what am I missing?

by James R. 31 views3 replies
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James R.OP
May 27, 2026

I'm honestly starting to lose hope here. I've taken the Senior Care certification exam twice now and failed both times. The first time I scored a 68 (passing is 75) and the second time a 71, so I'm getting closer but it's frustrating to keep paying the exam fee. I've been working as a home health aide for three years, so I thought I had the practical knowledge, but the test questions are way more specific than what I deal with day to day.

My biggest weak spot is definitely activities of daily living — specifically the sequencing and safety protocols around bathing and transfers. I found the Senior Care Activities of Daily Living practice test helpful for identifying gaps, but I'm not sure I'm studying the right material. Has anyone used a structured study guide that actually matches the exam content? I'm studying maybe 45 minutes a night after my shifts, which might not be enough.

Any exam tips from people who passed on a second or third attempt would mean a lot right now. What finally clicked for you?

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Chloe W.
May 27, 2026
I passed on my third attempt so don't give up! What finally worked for me was focusing way less on memorizing procedures and more on understanding the WHY behind them — the exam loves asking what you'd do when something goes wrong mid-task. Also, ADL questions tripped me up until I drilled them hard. The Activities of Daily Living 2 and 3 practice tests on here are really solid for that. Aim to consistently score above 80% on practice before rescheduling.
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emily_w
May 28, 2026
The gap between real-world experience and test language is brutal, honestly. I'd been a CNA for five years and still had to relearn how the exam frames things. One thing that helped me was writing out the steps for each ADL from memory, then comparing to the study guide. The transfer protocols especially — there are specific weight-bearing rules they test that you might not think about consciously in the field. How much time do you have before you want to retest?
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lisa.prep
May 28, 2026
71 is so close! Honestly at that score it's usually one or two topic areas dragging you down, not everything. I'd pull your score report if you can and look at the domain breakdown — that'll tell you exactly where to focus instead of reviewing everything equally. Two or three weeks of targeted prep should do it.

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