A home health aide is similar to a hospital aide in that their duties mostly revolve around assisting patients in their daily life needs. They provide a wide range of personal care services for the elderly and those with physical and mental disabilities right at the comfort of their own home. Home health aides are expected to provide adequate healthcare for their patients and assist with as many tasks as possible.
This article will talk about what kind of work a home health aide does and what you should do if you want to become one.
Tasks of a Home Health Aide
A home health aide has responsibilities that go far beyond that of a general hospital aide. They not only help in personal care duties, but they also provide companionship and emotional support to the patient.
The home health aide is also responsible for helping their patients with their activities of daily living, such as bathing and grooming. Home health aides also work with many elderly and disabled children.
Being a home health aide means that you will be on your feet for long hours each day and will have to do a lot of bending and lifting. You should also be able to remain calm and comfortable in stressful situations.
Some of the tasks involve taking care of the patient’s personal needs like dressing and undressing, assisting in the bathroom, and helping the patient with walking. Home health aides are also responsible for the kitchen, helping with meal preparation.
Patients are also supposed to be informed of their health condition and the tasks they need help with. In terms of schedule, it usually depends on the patient’s needs and family.
The Average Salary of a Home Health Aide
The salary of a home health aide depends on the state where they are employed and their work experience.
The average salary of home health aides is $10.84, and the lowest is $8.03. Most home health aides earn around $12 to $27.35 per hour. Not only does the home health aide’s salary depend on the state he works in and the work experience, but it also depends on the patient’s needs.
Some patients require very little help from their aides, while others need them to provide around-the-clock care.
Becoming a Home Health Aide
A home health aide is not required to have any special training or certificate. However, most aides prefer to complete a training course and certification to start their home health career. Here is how you can get started:
1. Have a Good Resume
A good resume should contain your most relevant education and work experience. You should include your work experience as a life or health care aide. If you do not have any experience, you can include any life or healthcare experience you may have. You should also provide details about the number of patients you have assisted.
2. Find an Accredited School
Many home health aide training courses and certificates are available from several accredited schools. You can look for certified institutions through the web or yellow pages.
3. Complete the Course
This training course will teach you how to assist your patients with their day-to-day activities. The course will also help you learn how to work with your patients and handle them. You will also learn how to care for your patient’s medication properly.
4. Apply for a Job
Once you have completed your training course, you can put your resume online and apply for a job. You can also apply for a job at a nursing home or a hospital. You can also approach a private citizen who is willing to hire you, making it easier to find a job.
Conclusion
Home health aides are required to give care to patients in the comfort of their homes and are expected to provide both physical and emotional support for their patients. It is a gratifying job that enables you to aid people with different needs. A home health aide is a good person to have in the family during times of need.
Once you are decided and need healthcare training solutions, enroll at Medical Career Academy. We are Indiana’s premier medical career training center, providing students with the highest quality education. Contact us to learn more.