Home Health Aide Job Description, Duties, and Responsibilities

Being a home health aide (HHA) is a good job for individuals who enjoy working with people and assisting them with their basic needs. HHAs are tasked with a broad range of responsibilities depending on the patient and the setting.

Home health aides help care for people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, age-related issues, and cognitive impairments. They do so by providing a range of personal care services to patients in their homes and are part of a wider home care team. Generally, home health aides work under the supervision of a registered nurse or therapist. They provide high quality care to patients by helping with personal care, assisting with daily living activities, and adhering to outlined policies and procedures.

Home health aides assist clients who are unable to care for themselves or perform daily tasks such as cooking, cleaning, dressing, and bathing. They may also perform basic medical services such as checking vital signs. They may provide long-term care or intermittent care. Some specialize in geriatric care or pediatric home health.

The Covid-19 pandemic has increased the demand for home health aides (HHA). Finding compassionate, reliable, and well-trained HHAs can be difficult, especially with discrepancies around classification and certification.

Home health aids play a very important role in the health care system. They are responsible for taking care of patients who may be suffering from a chronic illness or disability. They are also responsible for taking care of elderly individuals who are unable to care for themselves and need care while living at home. Some home health aids work very closely with nurses. They keep a record of the patient’s progress to alert the physician or nurse of any sudden changes in the patient’s health. A home health aid is in charge of of many basic care tasks, such as giving medicine, changing bed linens, washing and ironing the patient’s laundry, and cleaning the patient’s quarters. Home health aids also make several checks of the patient’s pulse, temperature, and respiration. They help direct patients in simple prescribed exercises or in the use of braces or artificial limbs. They also try to entertain, converse with, play games with, and read aloud to patients to keep them mentally healthy and alert. Home health aids provide patients with help moving in and out of beds, baths, wheelchairs, and automobiles, and assist them with dressing and grooming. Earning a certificate from a recognized program can be done in as little and one and one-half semesters at any community college. This certificate qualifies graduates to work in entry-level positions as aides. Being a home health aid can be a very challenging, ambitious, and rewarding career. Those who choose this career path need to have patience and have an understanding of what the patients may be going through. They will need to know how to handle many different situations that may arise when working as a home health aid.

Home Health Aide Job Responsibilities:

Enables patients to stay in their homes by monitoring and recording patient condition, providing support and personal services, and teaching families.
Monitors patient condition by observing physical and mental condition, intake and output, and exercise.
Supports patients by providing housekeeping and laundry services, shopping for food and other household requirements, preparing and serving meals and snacks, and running errands.
Assists patients by providing personal services, such as, bathing, dressing, and grooming.
Helps patients care for themselves by teaching use of cane or walker, special utensils to eat, special techniques and equipment for personal hygiene.
Helps family members care for the patient by teaching appropriate ways to lift, turn, and re-position the patient.
Advises on nutrition, cleanliness, and housekeeping.
Records patient information by making entries in the patient journal and notifying nursing supervisor of changing or unusual conditions.
Maintains a safe, secure, and healthy patient environment by following asepsis standards and procedures, maintaining security precautions, and following prescribed dietary requirements and nutrition standards.
Protects the home care agency by adhering to professional standards, home care policies and procedures, federal, state, and local requirements.
Enhances service reputation by accepting ownership for accomplishing new and different requests, and exploring opportunities to add value to job accomplishments.

Home Health Aide Requirements:
High school diploma.
Reliable transportation.
Must be at least 18 years old.
Must be able to pass a criminal background check.
Must be able to provide references.
Ability to work with limited supervision.
Ability to follow written and verbal instructions.
Have good personal hygiene.
Able to do light housekeeping.

HOW MUCH DOES A HEALTH AIDE MAKE?
The average Health Aide makes $29,514 in the United States.
The average hourly pay for a Health Aide is $13.82.
The average entry-level Health Aide salary is $24,000.
Highest paying states for Health Aide are California ($35,036), Massachusetts ($34,226), North Dakota ($35,036) and Vermont ($35,036).
Highest paying cities for Health Aide are San Jose, CA ($36,810), Hempstead, NY, Marysville, WA, Edmond, OK and Tallahassee, FL.