How To Find the Best Paying Home Health Aide Job
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If you love taking care of people and want the security of knowing your job can’t be replaced by a robot, you may enjoy being a home health aide (HHA). What is an HHA? What kind of training do you need to be an HHA? Is being an HHA a good job? What’s the difference between an HHA and a CNA?
Here’s what you need to know about becoming an HHA.
What Is a Home Health Aide (HHA)?
Also called personal care aides, home health aides are professional caregivers who help people maintain their personal hygiene and health in their residence rather than at a nursing home or other long-term care facility. HHAs do things like grooming patients, shopping for groceries, cooking meals, and scheduling appointments.
What Are HHA Job Duties?
In general, HHAs are responsible for helping people with non-medical needs in ways that help them age in place rather than going into a facility. Some specific duties include:
- Give medicine (under a nurse’s direction)
- Record and report important information
- Help patients with activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing
- Schedule and transport the patient to doctor’s appointments
- Grocery shopping and cooking meals
- Light housekeeping such as laundry and vacuuming
- Provide companionship
The companionship part is more important than you may realize. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
-”Social isolation significantly increased a person’s risk of premature death from all causes, a risk that may rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity (1).
Even though HHAs don’t provide medical care, just their presence can help improve or maintain a senior’s health.
What Is the Difference Between a CNA and a HHA?
While CNAs and HHAs have similar responsibilities, CNAs have more training and are required to be certified by the state after passing a written and practical exam. Some duties a CNA can perform that an HHA can’t include:
- Turning and repositioning patients who are bed-bound
- Transferring patients to and from the bed, toilet or commode, wheelchair, and other seating places
- Taking vital signs, including blood pressure
What Kind of Training and Licenses Do HHAs Need?
Every state has different requirements for HHAs. You may need to take classes at a college or vocational school and get certified, or you may be able to get on-the-job training. You generally need to have a high school diploma or GED.
-While the federal minimum wage is only $7.25 per hour, the average hourly wage for an HHA is $13.17, with an average of an additional $4000 per year in overtime pay.
How Long Does it Take to Become a HHA?
Depending on how much training and certification your state and potential employers require, you may be able to become an HHA within a few days to a few weeks.
Is a HHA a Good Job?
If you love taking care of people, being an HHA is an excellent job! Your duties are to help people live their best lives while staying in the comfort of their homes as long as possible. How important is that? According to the AARP:
-”87 percent of adults age 65+ want to stay in their current home and community as they age. Among people age 50 to 64, 71 percent of people want to age in place (2).”
Additionally, the industry is expected to increase 33% through 2030, much higher than most jobs (3). The population is getting older and there is little chance of robots taking over personal care duties, so you should always have plenty of career opportunities as an HHA.
Many people would consider caring for people, making a decent wage, and having job security to be a good job, although it isn’t right for everybody. The job requires spending most of the day on your feet and you should be able to lift at least 50 pounds. You also may be required to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
Is a HHA Considered a Nurse?
No, home health care aides do not have the same training as nurses. Nurses need at least an associate’s degree, while most have a bachelor’s or master’s degree. HHAs focus on personal care rather than medical care.
Can You Make a Living as a HHA?
Yes. While you won’t get rich as an HHA, you will get paid much more than the federal minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 per hour (4).
How Much Does a HHA Get Paid?
As of September 23, 2021, home health aides earn an average of $13.17 per hour with an average of $4000 a year of overtime (5). Keep in mind that wages will vary depending on where in the country you live, where you work, and how much experience you have. An HHA in San Francisco with a decade of experience will make more money than a new HHA in rural Louisiana.
What Kind of Jobs Are Available for a HHA?
Home health aide jobs are usually inside a patient’s home, although they may also work at group homes or assisted living facilities. Most HHAs choose to work for an agency that will help place them with patients.
Are There HHA Jobs Near Me?
Most likely, yes! If you think you have what it takes to be an excellent HHA, contact us today and we’ll help get you started in this amazing career path. Don’t wait - get started on the road to becoming an HHA today!
References
- Loneliness and Social Isolation Linked to Serious Health Conditions, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html
- Baby Boomer Facts and Figures, AARP, https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/info-2014/livable-communities-facts-and-figures.html
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Home Health and Personal Care Aides, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home-health-aides-and-personal-care-aides.htm
- Minimum Wage, US Department of Labor, https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/minimumwage
- Home Health Aide salary in the United States, Indeed, https://www.indeed.com/career/home-health-aide/salaries?from=top_sb