Home Health Aide Jobs in Queens, NY

Home Health Aide Jobs in Queens, NY

Working as a home health aide is a fulfilling job that allows compassionate individuals to contribute to the care of aging and disabled people. HHAs work closely with clients in patients’ homes in Queens, NY to offer assistance with daily living tasks and medical needs.

What Are Home Health Aide Services?

For the most part, a certified home health aide will assist with daily living tasks and may also help with medical-related tasks. The most common job tasks include:

Medical Appointments

Certified home health aides may need to transport patients to doctor appointments, lab work appointments, or imaging appointments, such as for a chest x-ray. Sometimes, it may be necessary for an HHA to accompany a client to certain appointments where sedation might be used, such as for dental appointments or surgical procedures.

Health-Related Tasks

One of the main roles of a health care aide is to complete health-related tasks for the patient. HHAs assist patients in many ways, such as medication monitoring and reminders, collecting vital signs, or controlling infectious diseases.

Non-Medical Services

Home health aides may assist patients with tasks such as meal preparation, toileting, bathing, grooming, or other personal care needs. Non-medical services can also provide assistance with other ADLs, such as mobility or bed transfers.

Home Management Tasks

A home health aide will also help with home management tasks, such as laundry, light housekeeping, infestation control, and other routine tasks. The goal of these tasks is to enable patients to live comfortably at home. A task such as meal prep can ensure clients are eating healthy meals on a regular schedule.

What Hours Do Home Health Aides Work?

For home health aides in Queens Village, NY or Forest Hills, NY, work hours will generally be flexible. A work schedule is ultimately determined by the needs of the client or the client’s family.

Day Shifts

Many patients will only need care during daytime hours. Day shifts are common for patients who have family members who can help with care overnight.

Night Shifts

Working a shift overnight or during the evening hours is also very common, particularly for patients who are in recovery or may have mobility challenges.

Respite Care Shifts

Sometimes, families will only need to hire home health aides to assist with respite care. Respite care is a type of as-needed service that allows families to take a break from caring for loved ones. HHAs may also be called for respite care shifts if the client’s regular home health aide is sick or taking time off.

Live-In Assignments

Some certified home health aides may also have live-in assignments for both short-term and long-term arrangements. For example, a patient recovering from surgery may require around-the-clock care for a few weeks, while a client with a disability may need daily routine service.

Who Are Personal Care Service Clients?

Clients who may need a certified home health aide in Floral Park, NY or Long Island, NY will typically include any patient who has medical or personal needs that can’t be met by family members. Clients also tend to include patients who do not want to live in nursing facilities or other long-term care facilities.

Adolescent Patients

Certified home health aides may be necessary for adolescent clients who have physical disabilities, developmental disabilities, or chronic illnesses. Hiring home health aides for children who have extensive needs can be crucial for families, as an HHA can reduce stress for parents and ensure young patients are receiving optimal medical care.

Aging Adults

Providing support to aging adults is another common role for certified home health aides. Aging adults who want to maintain their independence by continuing to live at home may need assistance with non-medical tasks, transportation, or other errands. An HHA may also be important for elderly patients to reduce the risk of falling.

Disabled Adults

Adults with temporary or permanent disabilities may also require extensive assistance. For example, the job tasks related to the care of disabled adults may include transportation to physical therapy, mobility assistance, bed transfers, toileting, and much more.

Chronic Illness Patients

Patients who have chronic illnesses such as cancer, chronic pain, or other conditions that may compromise their immune systems may need to hire an HHA. A home health aide may need to monitor the patient’s condition, particularly if the patient is recovering from treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy.

Recovering Patients

An HHA may also be hired to monitor recovering patients, such as a patient who is recovering from an invasive surgery that has a long recovery time. For example, a home health aide can assist patients with housekeeping needs during the patient’s recovery.

Is Home Health Care Better Than a Nursing Facility?

While a skilled nursing facility can certainly care for patients, many individuals prefer to live at home. The comforts of home can’t be matched by a nursing facility, and furthermore, clients deserve to preserve their autonomy for as long as possible.

How Hiring Home Health Aides Works

In general, to hire a certified home health aide, clients and family members will need to contact a licensed agency. An agency will match clients with a compassionate home health aide who is qualified to meet the client’s needs.

What If Families Want a Registered Nurse?

Some clients may prefer a registered nurse or a certified nursing assistant, such as clients who have several medical-related needs. If family members prefer to hire a nurse as a home health aide, the family simply has to let the agency know.

How Are Home Health Services Paid For?

Personal services are paid for either through private health insurance, state health insurance, or out-of-pocket payments. A private pay client may pay the HHA directly or through the agency service. On the other hand, health plan members can hire a certified home health aide for adult and pediatric patients, and payments for services will be processed through health insurance.

What Is the Care Plan and How Is It Made?

The care plan is an approved list of tasks the client needs help with, along with protocols for emergencies. The care plan is created after an assessment of the client’s needs and is overseen by the client’s case manager. Part of the job description for a home health aide is following tasks on the care plan. As a rule, an HHA is not allowed to provide services that are not approved by the care plan. 

Additional HHA Responsibilities

Observing physical or mental changes in the client is important since the home health aide will typically have the best understanding of the client’s day-to-day changes. Reporting changes to the family and case manager will ensure clients are receiving optimal care and support.

How to Become a Certified Home Health Aide

To become a certified home health aide, individuals will need to pass a competency test and comply with other state regulations. The hiring practices for home health aides are strict to ensure long-term care patients are receiving quality care. Some steps will involve:

Drug Screen

An HHA must pass an initial drug screening and regular drug screenings to maintain certification. Failure to pass a drug test will disqualify an applicant.

Background Check

A licensed home care agency will also mandate all applicants pass a background check. Individuals who have a criminal background are usually not qualified to provide services.

State Training and Certification

An HHA will also need to complete state training courses and other education to receive a certification as a home health aide. Certifications may need to be regularly renewed.

Apply to a Licensed Agency

The final step to becoming a certified home health aide is providing an employer with bank account information to set up payroll. Working with a licensed agency will simplify the payment process for any personal care services that are provided to clients.

What Are the Benefits of Becoming an HHA?

Some of the great benefits for personal care aides can include a competitive package of health insurance, free life insurance, and other benefits. Home health aides hired by agencies can enjoy benefits such as:

Competitive Salary

An HHA can enjoy a competitive starting salary and may earn salary increases for cumulative hours. For example, a team member’s base salary may be $17 per hour, while an experienced HHA can earn upwards of $20 an hour.

Paid Time Off and Paid Sick leave

Paid holidays, paid time, and paid sick leave are all great benefits for HHAs. PTO will generally build in relation to the HHA’s work hours, while sick leave is generously awarded to home care aides, in part to reduce the risk of exposing clients to illness.

Flexible Hours

A flexible schedule is one of the best benefits of this job. Clients and home health aides can work together to create a schedule that meets the needs of the client and the HHA.

Full-Time Position

Finally, personal care attendants can also enjoy full-time positions. This means that becoming a home health aide will provide financial stability and income security in the long term.

Whether a client needs assistance with daily living activities or transportation to medical appointments, an HHA can be an effective resource. To learn more about home health aide jobs in Queens, NY, contact Parent Care at 718-486-7100.

Apply Now

Get Home Care!