Home care is becoming increasingly popular, due to the fact that hospital stays are becoming shorter and more people are choosing to be cared for at home. A home care assistant is an individual who renders personal care services to people who are recovering at home and unable to do all of their daily care for themselves. This includes the elderly, people with an illness, injury, disability or medical condition who are recuperating at home or an assisted living facility. The home care assistant works with doctors, nurses and other healthcare team members to assist patients with the normal activities of daily life or ADLs. The kind of care they provide goes beyond administration of medication, checking of vital signs and other kinds of medical assistance. They also perform light housekeeping duties, such as doing the laundry, cooking and light housekeeping. If not living in the home of the patient or home care facility, a home care assistant may do regular visitations to the patient daily or a few times a week. A home care assistant may have just one patient, or more than one patient that they see on a regular basis. Home care assistants are also often referred to as home health aides or HHAs. If you want to be a home care assistant, here are some helpful tips to complete the home health aide training and education requirements:
- Training: Basic home health aide education can be high school, GED or in some states, even less. It would be a good idea to check the requirements for the state in which you live. You can also contact local home health agencies to see what they require for a home health assistant. Some states and programs require that you become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) first. One standard requirement is to undergo an on-the-job or in classroom home health aide training program. These programs are taught by a licensed nurse, certified nurse assistant or other certified health care provider. The training teaches the home care assistant to perform basic care, vital sign recording, basic nutrition, skin care, personal hygiene, pressure ulcer prevention and emergency response. You will also be trained to cook required dietary plans for patients, assist in exercise regimens, dress wounds and operate simple medical machines. In the same way, the family of the patient will give instructions on the basic housekeeping duties and daily routine of the patient.
- Certification: Although not always required, certification will demonstrate the competency of a home care assistant and improve their employability. Again, it is important to check the requirements of your state. Certification requirements can be met after completing a formal training program. You will then be eligible to take the exam and must get a passing score. In some states, you can challenge and a minimum of 16-hours practical training will take the place of a competency exam. A national certification is also administered by the National Association for Home Care and Hospice. To qualify for this certification, home care assistants need to complete a 75-hour supervised training program and get a passing score on the exam. Most formal training programs offer the certification test at the end of their training program, but it is wise to call prior to registering. You may also be required to submit to a background check and/or fingerprinting.
- Skills: A home care assistant is expected to be physically strong and fit, especially if the job involves lifting the patient in and out of bed. Knowledge of good skin care, body positioning and a basic understanding of medications is important. The home care assistant must also be knowledgeable of basic medical terminology and life support procedures. Good communication skills are also required because you will have to work with various healthcare providers and the patient’s family. Additionally, it’s important to be patient, sympathetic, understanding and professional. Also, remember that you are working in the patient’s home and will have to easily adapt to a patient’s normal routines.
- Job Outlook: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for home care assistants will continue to grow. In fact, a 50% increase will be expected until 2018, making it one of the jobs with high growth opportunity. Home care assistants can expect to earn between $19,000 and $29,000 a year. It is one of the lower paid healthcare positions, but it is entry level and can open you up to many opportunities for advancement in the medical field. A home care assistant can go on, with further education, to become a licensed vocational nurse, registered nurse or nurse administrator.
- Finding a Job: You will first have to complete your training, take your certification exam and complete a background/fingerprint check. You can then begin looking for jobs in your new field. You can start by checking any community or Internet bulletin boards for ads such as “personal caregiver” or “care provider.” Also, check with any local retirement homes or assisted living facilities. There are also employment opportunities with home care agencies that send you out to their clients. There are private agencies and state run agencies to choose from. One advantage of agency work is flexible scheduling, guaranteed top wages and pre-screened clients. This is not common, but some patients in convalescent hospitals use their own personal care assistant in addition to the nursing staff at the hospital.
Overall, being a home care assistant is a very rewarding career. It has the advantages of flexible scheduling, working one-on-one with great people and making a difference in the lives of others.