Home health aides (HHA) transform lives. As an HHA, you’ll develop close bonds with your patients as you spend every day with them in their homes. Whether you’re assisting them medically or sharing family recipes, you will be valuable.
What Is a Home Health Aide?
Seniors require extra care. Many choose to live in senior care facilities or hospitals to get the care they need. Others, however, choose to spend their retirements in the homes that they know and love. That’s where you come in.
The elderly don’t have to go to the hospital to receive quality care. Instead, they can rely on home health agencies to connect them to an HHA they can trust. Choosing to be an HHA means choosing to become a presence your patients rely on.
Certified home health aides rely on their clinical knowledge to take care of their patients. They perform basic medical tasks, including administering medication and giving massages.
Life as an HHA isn’t focused on medical skills. HHAs rely on intrapersonal skills to bond with their clients. Their patients rely on them to perform the daily tasks that they’re no longer able to. These tasks include bathing, housekeeping and arranging their daily schedule.
A home health aide can be their patient’s connection to the world. HHAs can inspire their clients to soak in the sunshine at the park or bond with other retirees in clubs. Home health aides aren’t just nurses: they’re friends to the patients that rely on them.
Job Outlook
With job opportunities expected to grow by 33% percent between 2020-30, home health aide opportunities are growing lightning fast.
As the baby boomer population ages, the need for home health aides will continue to grow. Many elderly people prefer the comfort of home care to nursing facilities. For many, HHAs are a more affordable way for their loved ones to get the care they need.
Most home health aides work in their patients’ homes. However, some opt to work in hospices, retirement centers and hospitals.
Home health care work is rewarding, and many choose to stay in this profession for years. However, others choose to go back to school to become registered nurses or medical assistants. No matter which route you take, you’ll have a fulfilling career.
Home Health Aide Requirements
Ready for a career filled with purpose?
Most home health aide job opportunities require certification. FVI’s Home Health Aide program will train you to become a nurse patients can rely on. HHA training will teach you how to take care of your clients’ basic personal care and medical needs.
This is a career for a specific kind of personality. A career as an HHA could be right for you if:
- You’re Caring and Empathetic: HHAs are an emotional rock for their patients to lean on. Whether they’re struggling with the effects of aging or personal issues, you’ll be there for them. Your services go a long way when it comes to their happiness. By performing their basic tasks, you’re enabling them to continue to have enriching lives.
- You’re Adaptable: Working in senior care requires emotional toughness. You’ll need to accept the fact that the patients you work with might decline medically. A home health aide will also need to have the skills to accept their patients’ emotional distress with grace.
- You’ve Got Excellent Observational Skills: Observational skills can save your patient’s life. Pay attention to patient symptoms so that you can spot irregularities. Attention to detail will also help you with your day-to-day schedule.
Earn A Home Health Aide Certificate With FVI
Caregivers are heroes. They give their patients essential care and their families peace of mind. Working in your patient’s home means an increase in responsibilities and a decrease in emotional barriers. You’re not just working with a patient – you’re working with a friend.
Ready to start a fulfilling career as a home health aide? FVI’s Home Health Aide certification program will teach you the skills you need to get your career started. Our nurse-instructors will train you how to:
- Assist in personal tasks such as bathing, dressing and cooking
- Organize your patient’s schedule
- Grocery shopping and preparing meals
Our instructors will teach you how to care for clients with disabilities and chronic illnesses. No matter what your patients’ needs are, you’ll have the training to properly care for them.
Visit our website to learn more about earning a home health aide certificate.
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