After giving it much thought, you’ve decided to pursue a career in the rapidly growing home healthcare industry. Because you’re not a nurse or a physical, occupational, or speech therapist, a friend recommended that you check into becoming a home health aide. But you’re still unsure what the job entails and if it’s the right fit for you. Using this handy guide as a reference will help ensure that working as a home health aide might be far more rewarding than any other job you’ve ever had before.
What Does a Home Health Aide Do?
A home health aide (HHA) – also called a Home Care Aide or Personal Care Aide – is a professional caregiver trained to help clients maintain their hygiene and health in their private residences.
As a “personal assistant” of sorts, an HHA assists clients in many ways, including daily functions such as dressing, bathing, preparing nutritious meals, and companionship. HHAs sometimes also take a patient’s vital signs or give them medicine under the direction of a licensed nurse. They can even help with planning for doctor’s appointments or coordinating transportation.
Additional HHA responsibilities may include:
- Grocery shopping
- Light housekeeping
- Reporting to supervision about a client’s health status
- Helping organize a client’s schedule
- Coordinate care with therapists, doctors, and other medical professionals
Some aides work specifically with clients who have developmental or intellectual disabilities to help create a behavior plan and teach self-care skills – for instance, food shopping or meal planning. Some private HHAs work independently, while others are employed by licensed home care providers.
How Do HHAs Assist Families?
Millions of Americans selflessly volunteer each year to care for aging-in-place loved ones. And although serving as an informal caregiver is highly gratifying, it can also be physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding. As a result, many informal caregivers end up experiencing caregiver fatigue. When allowed to persist, this condition can lower the quality of life of both the caregiver and the care recipient.
The role of an HHA is to give tired family members a break so they can focus on their health and well-being, along with that of their loved ones. HHAs are also trained to perform minor medical tasks – for example, monitoring a client’s vital signs – that the average family caregiver isn’t trained to do.
What Personality Traits Do Good HHAs Have?
If you’re still not sure you have what it takes to be an HHA, these are some of the personality traits that successful HHAs possess:
- Patience
- Self-motivated
- Compassion
- Cooperative
- Persistence
- Humor
- Communicative
- Assertive
- Detail-oriented
- Ability to ask for and accept help
What Else Does It Take to Succeed as an HHA?
In addition to having the right personality traits, HHAs must also be:
Physically fit
As an HHA, you may be asked to make numerous trips up and down stairs during a visit, or help clients move from their beds to chairs, couches, or bathtubs. Being physically fit will make the job easier while minimizing the likelihood of getting hurt.
In good health
Staying healthy might just be the most essential quality of a successful HHA. That means eating a well-balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly while enjoying a healthy work-life balance. After all, you can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself!
Note: Since certification requirements for becoming an HHA vary by state, be sure to research your state’s guidelines.
Join Our Growing Team in Fort Wayne, IN, Today!
If you’re interested in becoming a professional caregiver or have relevant work experience, Senior1Care would love to speak with you. Due to our expanding client load, we are now seeking qualified candidates to fill several open in-home caregiving positions in Fort Wayne, IN. Whether you are an HHA, CNA, nurse, therapist, or another type of healthcare worker, we’d like to hear more about your career objectives.
We offer competitive pay, flexible hours, great benefits, performance bonuses, and the opportunity to work in a positive environment while surrounded by fellow compassionate professionals. What are you waiting for? To learn more about how to pursue an exciting job opportunity with Senior1Care today, please visit us by clicking here now.
