When you notice that a loved one can no longer manage at home, you’ll have to make some decisions about their care. Many people would prefer to age gracefully at home instead of being taken to a nursing home, which is why home health care has experienced a surge in popularity recently. Today, let’s have a look at how a New York home health aide working in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or the Bronx is trained and how they can help you.
Understandably, family members and friends of elderly or disabled patients want to be sure that the person taking care of their loved one is qualified and capable. For this reason, every aide has to go through a rigorous training program and assessment. Here at Parent Care, we only hire the most experienced professionals for the job, so you can know that the patient will be well taken care of.
What Training Does a New York Home Health Aide Have?
Although many of the daily tasks of your aide are related to regular chores, this type of work is considered skilled because it directly impacts the health of the city’s most vulnerable citizens. Both the state and we at Parent Care take this matter very seriously, so only the most talented and responsible people will be chosen to look after your loved ones in their own homes.
There are two main organizations that regulate the training of health aides: the NY State Department of Health and the NY State Education Department. Any agency that wants to start offering its own training program must go through one or the other and gain their approval. While programs run through the former are always free, so that anyone can become an aide, the latter organization can charge for their courses.
What Is the Training Like?
Every six months, the agencies that lead training programs have to submit their anticipated schedules to the relevant regional office. As a general rule, participants must take part in 75 hours of training, spread out over no more than 60 days. This includes 40 hours of home care curriculum, which are all spent in the classroom, and 35 hours of health-related task curriculum, which are split up into a theoretical and a practical part.
For a total of 16 hours, the aide in training will be observed as they complete home health tasks in a patient care setting. That way, the supervisors can assess whether the person has taken the theories on board and will be suited to the job.
How Are Individuals Assessed?
As mentioned, all trainees will be supervised while they work with patients, but there will also be some theoretical questions to answer. What’s more, every training site is required to have a mock kitchen with running water so that supervisors can evaluate whether the trainees are able to prepare meals adequately and adhere to all the safety measures such as washing hands correctly.
What Does an Aide Do in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx?
Now that you know the qualification your aide has, you might wonder what they can then help you with. Once they are fully trained, aides can assist your elderly loved one in a wide variety of ways. Aside from completing daily hygiene tasks, they can also work with you to prevent dangers in the home, prepare meals and remind your loved one about their medication, and go shopping or escort them to appointments.
When you first get in touch with Parent Care, we will take some time to review the current situation with you. We can assess how much help your friend or relative currently needs, what types of services would be most suited to them, and how frequently the aide should come by. Sometimes, the service is used just for a few months, for example, if someone is recovering from an injury or illness, but often, the care continues for the rest of the patient’s life.
Assist with Daily Hygiene and Home Tasks
One of the primary functions of your aide is to help the patient with daily tasks they are no longer able to complete on their own. For example, the professional might arrive early in the morning to help them get up from bed and use the bathroom. They will assist them in taking a shower safely and completing all the hygiene tasks that are difficult to do on their own.
Then, the aide can help the patient get dressed and move to a comfortable place, for example, their sofa or armchair, where they will spend the rest of the morning. This type of service is particularly important if your loved one is no longer able to move around their own home freely. In such a case, the aide might come back in the afternoon or evening to check that everything is okay and transfer the patient back to their bed for the night.
Prevent Issues in the Home
The majority of people prefer to stay in their own homes even when they start to lose some of their mobility. home health care allows for a much more graceful aging process, and it is also important for people who are disabled at a younger age. Services like Parent Care are not only there to facilitate daily tasks but also to check that the home is suitable for the patient.
When you first start to work with us, your New York home health aide might do an initial assessment and speak to you about areas that could be improved. Often, simple adjustments can make a big difference in the accessibility of a home. For example, we might suggest that you install a seat in the bathtub, anti-slip devices on any slippery surfaces, and handrails that the patient can grab onto when moving from one room to the next.
Prepare Meals and Medication
No matter where your friend or relative lives in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or the Bronx, your aide will visit them in their own home and make sure that their nutrition remains on track. Eating regularly and drinking enough fluids can make a big difference in a person’s wellbeing, so this service is a cornerstone of what we do. Every aide we employ is trained to use a variety of different kitchens, so they will feel comfortable at the patient’s home.
In addition, they will also be given a list of the medications your friend or relative is currently on. That way, the aide can help them make sure they are taking the right drug in the right dosage and at the right time. This service is crucial for people who have trouble with their memory or who are unable to see.
Assistance with Shopping and Appointments
Despite the term “home health”, not all of our services occur at the house of the patient. Instead, our health aides can help with a range of tasks such as shopping and running errands. What’s more, they will be happy to attend appointments with patients who might no longer feel secure getting in and out of cars and finding their way on their own.
In New York, a home health aide has to go through a rigorous training course, where they learn everything they need to know about caring for an elderly or disabled person at home. Get in touch with us today at Parent Care to find out more and book a consultation with one of our specialists. No matter whether you live in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or the Bronx, we will be delighted to find out more about your situation.
