Are you looking for a new job opportunity? Are you feeling stuck in your current position? If so, starting a career as a home health aide and asking where do home health aides work? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook is excellent in this industry, with an average growth rate of 2.5% per year. Additionally, home health aides benefit from flexible hours and varied working conditions. Because they visit patients’ homes, no two days are ever the same.
Where Home Health Aides Work
As a home health aide, you work at your patients’ houses or apartments. Every day, you visit vulnerable or elderly people and help them with everyday tasks such as meal preparation and personal hygiene.
You might also take your clients to their medical appointments, go shopping with them, or take them out for the day. This means that you get to travel around your neighborhood and visit various parts of New York.
The Typical Radius
Many home health aides work in their local areas only, but some also venture to other New York boroughs. When you first sign up with Parent Care, we’ll discuss your preferred areas and match you up with patients who live locally. Because we work in all five boroughs, we have clients all over New York.
Do Home Health Aides Ever Work in Other Medical Facilities?
Most home health aides only visit the homes of their patients. They don’t work at nursing homes or other assisted living facilities. However, some also accompany their clients to therapists’ or doctors’ offices. It all depends on the client’s needs and the home health aide’s unique qualifications.
At Parent Care, we sometimes connect personal care aides to people who need live-in care. These aides stay with their patients at night and offer more comprehensive care. If you’re interested in providing this type of service, let us know.
Prerequisites for Becoming a Home Health Aide
To become a home health aide, you have to have a high school diploma. This proves that you have the necessary skills and knowledge to provide patients with high-quality service. If you don’t yet have a high school diploma, you can get your GED locally. You might even be able to take the test for free if you’re a New York resident.
You also need good physical stamina to become a competent home health aide. This is because you’ll have to push wheelchairs, lift patients, and perform housekeeping tasks as part of your work. Many agencies ask you to get a physical examination before starting to work.
Desirable Skills
Although home health care is extremely rewarding, it’s also a demanding job. That’s why you need certain skills to excel. Most aides have great organization, people, and communication skills. They need to schedule multiple appointments a day and deal with unexpected events. Additionally, they must communicate with physical therapists, registered nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals.
Language Skills
Because you have to interact with health professionals, your supervisors, and the patient’s family, you have to speak good English. If you’d like to become a home health aide, but you’re not a native English speaker, consider taking a language course first.
Many agencies are also looking for bilingual people who speak Spanish, Chinese, or Russian. Aside from English, these are some of the most common languages in New York.
Home Health Aide Training
Before you can start your new job, you have to complete home health aide training. This short-term program is offered by many community colleges and vocational schools around the city.
During the training, home health aides learn basic safety techniques as well as specific skills related to home care. They find out how to best help patients with the Activities of Daily Living and evaluate the safety of clients’ homes.
How Much Do Training Programs Cost?
You don’t have to spend a lot of money if you want to become a personal care aide. Formal training is offered by the NY State Department of Health or the Education Department, so you’ll only have to cover the cost of your materials. This makes the program accessible to you, even if you’re currently out of work, or you have limited financial resources.
How Long Does It Take?
Home health aide programs typically take three to eight weeks. Some are full-time, while others offer classes in the evenings or at weekends.
To qualify as a personal care aide, you’ll have to complete at least 75 hours of classroom learning and practical training. Depending on the program and your background, you might also have to do first aid training.
Can You Become a Certified Nursing Assistant After Completing HHA Training?
If you’d like to become a medical assistant or registered nurse after completing your HHA training, you have to go back to school. These careers require more medical knowledge, so the training is more extensive.
Let us know if you’re interested in furthering your education. We can help you by offering you a flexible part-time schedule, so you can keep working at Parent Care while you complete your education.
What Are the Home Health Aide’s Duties?
Home health aides have a wide range of day-to-day responsibilities. They assist patients who suffer from chronic illnesses or age-related conditions with the Activities of Daily Living. They take care of their patients’ hygiene, perform housekeeping tasks, prepare meals, and administer medication.
Sometimes, they also communicate with family members and educate people about basic nutrition. Experienced aides are also familiar with emergency procedures, so they can help critically ill patients until a doctor arrives.
Who Are the Patients?
As a home health aide, you might work with elderly or disabled individuals who require care for the rest of their lives. However, not all patients fall into those groups. Some people need assistance because they have a temporary injury. At Parent Care, we also offer pediatric home health care, so you might work with children.
Do Home Health Aides Take Vital Signs?
Although home health aides don’t have extensive medical knowledge, recording vital signs is one of the tasks they help their patients with. They assist clients in monitoring their blood pressure, body temperature, pulse rate, and respiration rate.
Is This a Good Job?
There are several reasons why this is a very good job for New York residents who would like to start working in healthcare. Firstly, the barrier to entry is low because the training program is short and affordable. This means that people from all backgrounds can become home health aides.
Secondly, there are many open positions, and this isn’t likely to change in the next few decades. As a home health aide, you won’t struggle to find work, no matter where you live in New York. Finally, job satisfaction is high because aides often work with the same patients for many months or even years. This job is highly social, which makes it ideal for anyone who loves interacting with a wide range of people.
Is Home Health Care a Rewarding Career?
Although home health care can be emotionally demanding, it is also incredibly rewarding. The varied job duties and the personal connections many aides build up with their patients make this job both interesting and gratifying.
Finding a Home Health Aide Position
The best way to find work as a home health aide is to reach out to a New York healthcare agency. They have the necessary contacts to help you find patients in your local area.
You can either contact an agency once you’ve completed your training, or you can reach out before you begin. At Parent Care, we’re always happy to hear from people who are starting their state certification, and we often advise people on which local training program to choose.
Why Work with Home Health Agencies?
Home health agencies are important for people just starting as aides because they connect them to suitable patients. Aides don’t have to spend money and time advertising their services. Instead, they can get started right away.
Working with an agency is also advantageous for people who have other responsibilities. Those who have small children or are family caregivers need to fit their work around their personal commitments. Agencies almost always offer flexible part-time positions, which makes it easy for home health aides to balance their personal and professional lives. Organizations like Parent Care also provide home health aides with opportunities for continued education, so they can further their careers.
What Is the Typical Home Health Aide Salary?
According to labor statistics estimates, home health aides earn approximately $30,000 per year. However, it’s important to remember that many personal care aides work part-time. Those working 40 or more hours per week can earn significantly more, especially in an area like New York, where home health aides are in high demand.
What Is the Job Outlook?
The job outlook for home health aides is excellent. An increasing number of baby boomers are retiring, and many of them don’t want to go to nursing facilities. That’s why there are plenty of home health aide positions available in the local area.
In the long term, home health care is a great industry to be in because it’s unlikely to be automated. Compassion home health aides will always be important because they provide patients with vital social interactions and essential medical services.
How to Get Started with Parent Care
Qualified home health aides can reach out to us via the convenient online form. They will be prompted to provide personal information and details about the type of job they’re applying for.
Once we receive the form, we’ll respond as quickly as possible. We almost always ask for the home health aide’s certification, a background check, and a medical evaluation to make sure that the candidate is suitable for our organization.
Start Your New Career Now
If you’re looking for a rewarding and secure career, becoming a home health aide could be a good idea. Aides typically work at their clients’ homes, although they also take patients on outings and to appointments. Get in touch with us at Parent Care or call us at 718-486-7100 to find out more about working as a home health aide in New York.
