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Return of the House Call
Very few people are lucky to enter a job market in which they are guaranteed a position.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), "home health aide" is the occupation
expected to grow the fastest now and through 2014.
A Home health aide does work at a patient's home, performing an assortment of services
such as feeding, bathing, and helping them walk instead of being bedridden all day.
This job is in high demand at nursing and residential care facilities, hospitals,
and through home health-care services.
The career projection for home health aides is not a revelation says AARP
(formerly the American Association of Retired Persons), As baby boomers age and
current senior citizens continue to extend their lifespan the need for all levels
of home health care in on the rise. A recent AARP statistics: In 2004 alone, more
than 15 percent of the population was older than 65 in three states; by 2020, 40
states will exceed that percentage. It is no surprise that the aging population
will have an increased need for home medical care and attention. Although Medicare
and Medicaid cover home health care in limited terms, those who can afford it are
expected to opt for the luxury of care in the comfort of their own homes.
Certification is Key
Jobs associated with aging, community-based care, and the elderly are currently
in high demand. Home health care will continue to grow as society faces a major
shortage in the resources needed to serve this population.
Prospective home health aides must become certified by the state in which they
work. While state requirements differ all certification must cover the basics in
elderly care, such as changing dressings, checking the gauge on an oxygen tank,
and taking blood pressures.
They have to learn how to help seniors walk, take vital signs, recognize and
respond to emergencies, and assist with all the needs of elderly patients. In
addition to such physical tasks, home health aide professionals must also be
organized, detail-oriented, observant, and most of all, compassionate to those
they are caring for.
Due to high demand, newly trained aides should not have much of a problem finding
employment. The best situation for a home-care aide is working for a licensed and
reputable home-care agency.
This creates a safety net because the organization helps monitor home-care aides
and environments for safety concerns, and the agency can help deal with difficult
situations that occur. While home-care employees are paid directly by their agency,
home health agencies can be certified through Medicare and also typically accept
private insurance and payments from their clients.
Must have Compassion
The biggest component on the job is caring. The certification program can teach
the skill set but not compassion. You have to have heart. You must also be a good
listener and realize you're a patient's connection to the outside world. Between
all of the interaction and care provided, rigorous paperwork must also be fulfilled.
Some home aides see multiple patients throughout the week. Others are responsible for a single patient.
Employment and Career Growth Opportunities
Since there is also a nursing shortage, employers may assist by reimbursing staff
to continue their education. The natural career path for health aides is to progress
into more advanced health-care positions. In order to become a registered nurse,
students must complete their associate degree, which typically takes 16 months
to two years.
Effective home health aides know what to do for their patients, and they do it
well, because they care. I can teach people a set of necessary medical skills, but
it is not easy to teach compassion and caring.
"Medical Resouce Management, Inc. specializes in spinal cord and brain-injured patients"
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