What's the Job Description of a Home Care Assistant?

<h3 id="section---CareerOverview">Career Overview</h3> <p>Depending on your work environment, you could be called a home care assistant, home health aide, personal care aide, or similar title. Under any name, your job entails caring for elderly, sick, and/or infirm people within their own homes. The range of assistance you can offer depends on the level of your training, and those in your care might include elderly or mentally-disabled patients, those in hospice care, or those who have just been released from a hospital. The number of patients in your care can vary; some might only need your services for a short period of time, while others you tend to could need long-term, regular, daily, or weekly care. Your schedule might include working nights and weekends or irregular hours. </p> <h3 id="section---ImportantFactsAboutHomeCareAssistants">Important Facts About Home Care Assistants</h3> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Work Environment</b> </td><td> Client home, group care facility</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Similar Occupations</b> </td><td> Childcare worker, nurse, orderly</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Key Skills</b> </td><td> Interpersonal communication, detail oriented, time management, physical stamina</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Average Salary (2021)</b> </td><td> $31,429 (for all health care assistants)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *PayScale.com, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---TrainingRequirements">Training Requirements</h3> <p>Requirements for this position vary by state, but training that you receive on the job might prepare you for becoming a registered or certified home health aide. Depending on your actual duties, some states require you to complete a minimum number of training hours covering specific topics. Certification or registration might be recommended, though it's usually optional. If you receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement for your services, you're required to undergo specific federally-mandated training and/or pass a skills examination. </p> <p>Some employers offer training programs that allow individuals to learn under the supervision of a registered nurse or other licensed medical professional. Prior to employment, you can prepare for this position through a certificate or associate's degree program available at many vocational schools and community colleges. In these programs, you can develop necessary skills and knowledge, such as how to report neglect or abuse, provide physical assistance, or communicate with patients. </p> <h3 id="section---DutiesAndResponsibilities">Duties and Responsibilities</h3> <p>Your job duties can consist of a mix of personal care, housekeeping, and medical assistance, including bathing, grooming, or administering medication. Some non-medical tasks might include performing light cleaning, washing dishes, doing laundry, and preparing meals. You could also provide transportation for doctor's appointments or errands for patients who are unable to travel. </p> <p>You might need to interact with family members by explaining doctors' orders, such as medication dosages or dietary restrictions. You could also serve as emotional support, listening to problems, or being available when a patient or their family is having a difficult time dealing with an illness or limitation. </p> <p>Medical tasks might be limited due to legal restrictions or requirements but can include taking vital signs, assisting with exercises, and changing bandages. Keeping accurate records, such as noting when medication was taken or documenting medical appointments, is also an important part of your job that must be done on a regular basis. You could also need to keep notes on a patient's moods or complaints for medical personnel. </p> <h3 id="section---JobOutlook">Job Outlook</h3> <p>The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projected a 25% job growth for home health aides and personal care aides from 2021-2031 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>). The increase in the elderly population and a growing number of health conditions in the general population were cited as causes for this predicted growth, one of the fastest rates of employment growth in the nation.</p>