Home health aides are health care workers who visit patients' homes to care for them. Patients who are elderly, disabled, or recuperating from an illness are often cared for by home health aides. Home health aide jobs vary according to patient needs. Typical responsibilities may include bathing and dressing clients, cooking meals, reminding clients to take medicine, housecleaning, or other general tasks.
Home health aide jobs involve working with patients who cannot care for themselves. Elderly people use the services of an aide to avoid living in a nursing home. Home health aides perform a variety of services for their elderly clients.
Changing bed sheets, cooking meals, administering medication, and bathing the client are just a few of the services provided by a home health aide. An important responsibility includes just spending time with the patient. This may include engaging in conversation with the patient or reading books to him or her.
Mentally disabled patients may also use the services of a home health aide. Aides provide physical care to such patients, but may also teach them basic skills. They may teach mentally disabled clients about proper hygiene or teach them how to cook a meal.
Patients who are physically disabled can also benefit from the attention of a home health aide. Aides assist such patients with physical needs such as bathing, dressing, going to the bathroom, or eating. Parents who have children who are physically disabled may need the services of a home health aide to learn how to properly care for their child in the home.
If a patient is recovering from surgery or a serious illness, a home health aide may visit to attend to the client's basic needs. The aide may change bandages, administer medicine, or assist with bathing and meal preparation. Some aides may be required to drive patients to doctor's appointments.
Home health aides work a variety of shifts. Some work primarily days, while others prefer to work nights or weekends. Many home health aides work part time and enjoy flexible schedules that are arranged according to their specific availability. A home health aide may work with only one patient and even live with that patient for a specific period of time. Other aides visit several patients in one day.
People who wish to perform home health aide jobs do not need an advanced education. Any necessary skills can be learned through on-the-job training. Home health aides learn basic first aid and the proper way to ensure the safety of their clients. Aides must be comfortable performing general housekeeping duties, including cleaning and cooking.
People who work in home health aide jobs must enjoy working with people and have the ability to remain pleasant when clients are angry, rude or uncooperative. Pay for home health aids varies, but is considered an entry-level job. Those who wish to advance in the health care field will need to graduate from an accredited college or career school that offers programs in medical assisting, nursing, or other medical careers.
