Health Care Aide - Job Description, Duties, Education, Skills, Salary, & Growth

Home Care Aide




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Job Description

 

As a home care aide, the expected duties may include caring for those who are physically or mentally ill, those injured or disabled or infirm patients confined to home or residential care facilities.

Home health aide is one of the top 10 occupations showing large job growth, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Home care aides work under the supervision of a nurse, and work closely with family members to provide the care needed. Both men and women are sought after as home health aides.

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Responsibilities

 

Home health aides work to keep patients in their homes by monitoring them and providing services. Their primary responsibilities include:

  • Housekeeping, laundry, shopping, and errands

  • Keeping records of services 

  • Recording patient conditions and notifies the supervising nurse of changes or unusual behavior

  • Changing dressings, assisting with bathing, and offering support

  • Preparing patient meals and following specific dietary guidelines

  • Training patients to use special equipment to care for themselves

  • Maintaining a safe and healthy environment for the patient by following specified standards and procedures

  • Ensuring proper security precautions are taken

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Skills

 

Communication

Must effectively communicate with your co-workers to ensure the best care and the proper procedures. Must be able to communicate in high-stress environments.

Active Listening

Offering your full attention to an individual person or group in order to fully understand problems and their nature.

Critical Thinking

Must use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Judgment and Decision Making

Needs to be able to act autonomously and make difficult decisions that would benefit the patient or make corrections. Must consider all benefits and repercussions of potential actions and choose the appropriate one. 

Complex Problem Solving

Must be able to identify complex problems and develop and evaluate corrective options and implement solutions. 

Stress Management

Must be able to endure intense situations and handle pressure that comes with extreme situations you may encounter.

Trustworthiness

Must be trustworthy because you have people's lives in your hands and what you do could help or hurt them. They are entrusted with a great responsibility and must live up to it. 

Perceptiveness

Gauging how people react and read their body language to decipher their feelings and predict their actions. They must be able to determine if people could be a risk to themselves or others and to distinguishtruths from lies.

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Working Conditions

 

A 40 hour work week is standard for full-time employment as a home health aide. Because many patients may need care and assistance 24 hours a day, some conditions of employment may include night, weekend or holiday shifts. Some aides work on “live in” arrangements. Still others work on a part-time basis.

The nature of the work calls for aides to spend many hours standing and walking, and the work may include heavy lifting at times.

Aides are trained in proper body mechanics in how to move patients safely and care for them. Mechanical devices may sometimes be used to reduce the risk of injury when lifting or transferring a patient.

Employment as a home health aide can be emotionally stressful when working with patients who are disoriented, irritable, and uncooperative or in the terminal stages of illness.

 

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Salary Outlook

Home Care Aide Salary
$18,610 25th Percentile
$21,380 50th Percentile
$24,320 75th Percentile
$8.95 Hourly
$10.28 Hourly
$11.69 Hourly
Estimated Annual Salary Average Hourly Wage Positions Nationwide
$22,400.00 $10.77 914,000
Title Company Location Posted
Home Care Aide Lake Region Healthcare Fergus Falls, MN 06.25.2018
The purpose of this position is to provide our tenants with assistance with their activities of daily living (ADL’s) and personal care. The Home Care Aide works under the direction and supervision of the Home Care Coordinator/RN. Effective...
Home Health Aide/CNA 40 Hours Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice Lewiston, ME 07.18.2018
Home health service is that component of comprehensive health care whereby services are provided to individuals and families in their places of residence for the purpose of promoting, maintaining, or restoring health, or minimizing the effects of...
Hospice Certified Home Care Aide Baystate Medical Center Springfield, MA 07.06.2018
Baystate Healthis an integrated health care delivery system serving a population of nearly 1 million people in western Massachusetts. We are one of the largest health systems in New England with over 11,500 employees, five hospitals, and over 60...
Home Health Aide-CNA MaineHealth Saco, ME 07.18.2018
MaineHealth Care at Home is seeking a Home Health Aide Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)in Saco. This position is for a paraprofessional providing care to patients to improve the quality of the patients life in the home environment. The Home...
HOSPICE AIDE - IN HOME St. Francis Hospital Greenville, SC 07.18.2018
As a member of the interdisciplinary team, the Nursing Assistant works directly under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN) and performs personal care services and home maker services for the patient according to the Home Health Aide Care...
Home Care Aide (HCA): Virginia Gay Home Health Virginia Gay Hospital and Clinics Vinton, IA 12.26.2017
We are looking for a Home Health Aide to provide assistance in daily living and personal care services in client’s homes in accordance with an established care plan. 
HOME HEALTH AIDE, HOSPICE Stillwater Medical Center Stillwater, OK 07.18.2018
Part-time 30hrs/week Tues,Thurs,Sat Must be a certified home health aide Assists in the care and support of the patient at their place of residence, utilizing technical nursing skills with minimum assistance. Makes daily home visits with personal...
Home Health Aide Hebrew SeniorLife Brookline, MA 07.18.2018
A Home Health Aide is a trained paraprofessional prepared to assist professional personnel in personal care and home management as related to comfort, care, and safety of a consumer in the home. We need aide's in the following towns: Needham,...
Hospice Home Health Aide - Hospice Care MaineHealth Rockland, ME 07.18.2018
The primary purpose of the Hospice Aide is to provide personal care and homemaker services based on the IDT care plan, assessments of the patients personal care needs, ability to perform activities of daily living and supervision of care....
Home Health Aide Essentia Health Grand Rapids, MN 07.18.2018
As a team member, will provide personal care services to the residents and provide related tasks in accordance with a plan of care as assigned and supervised by a Registered Nurse. Responsible to care for the residents personal hygiene, promote a...
Home Health Aide - Southern Indiana Community Health Network Indianapolis, IN 07.18.2018
The Home Health Aide position is located in southern Marion county, Johnson county, Bartholomew county, and Brown county. Job Duties The Home Health Aide takes personal care of the patient and completes other simple procedures pertaining to...
Home Health Aide-HH Coastal Home Health Aide MaineHealth Rockland, ME 07.18.2018
This position is for a paraprofessional providing care to patients to improve the quality of the patients life in the home environment. The HHA performs tasks required to help maintain and restore the physical, social, and emotional health of...
Home Health Aide CentraCare Health St. Cloud, MN 07.18.2018
Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) required Valid Minnesota Drivers License required Encourages and facilitates the resident's self care skills. Provides periods of stimulation, relaxation, and socialization within the social model of care....
Home Health Aide CentraCare Health St. Cloud, MN 07.18.2018
Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) required Encourages and facilitates the resident's self care skills. Provides periods of stimulation, relaxation, and socialization within the social model of care. Monitors the safety of cognitively impaired...
Home Health Aide II, Home Care - Casual Ridgeview Medical Center Waconia, MN 07.18.2018
This position is responsible for providing personal care and homemaking services to home care and hospice patients under the supervision of an RN. Job Functions Documents the various aspects of care on appropriate forms. Communicates...
  1. Home Care Aide Fergus Falls, MN Lake Region Healthcare
    The purpose of this position is to provide our tenants with assistance with their activities of daily living (ADL’s) and personal care. The Home Care Aide works under the direction and supervision of the Home Care Coordinator/RN. Effective...
  2. Home Health Aide/CNA 40 Hours Lewiston, ME Androscoggin Home Healthcare + Hospice
    Home health service is that component of comprehensive health care whereby services are provided to individuals and families in their places of residence for the purpose of promoting, maintaining, or restoring health, or minimizing the effects of...
  3. Hospice Certified Home Care Aide Springfield, MA Baystate Medical Center
    Baystate Healthis an integrated health care delivery system serving a population of nearly 1 million people in western Massachusetts. We are one of the largest health systems in New England with over 11,500 employees, five hospitals, and over 60...
  4. Home Health Aide-CNA Portland, ME MaineHealth
    MaineHealth Care at Home is seeking a Home Health Aide Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)in Saco. This position is for a paraprofessional providing care to patients to improve the quality of the patients life in the home environment. The Home...
  5. HOSPICE AIDE - IN HOME Greenville, SC St. Francis Hospital
    As a member of the interdisciplinary team, the Nursing Assistant works directly under the supervision of a registered nurse (RN) and performs personal care services and home maker services for the patient according to the Home Health Aide Care...
  6. Home Care Aide (HCA): Virginia Gay Home Health Vinton, IA Virginia Gay Hospital and Clinics
    We are looking for a Home Health Aide to provide assistance in daily living and personal care services in client’s homes in accordance with an established care plan. 
  7. HOME HEALTH AIDE, HOSPICE Stillwater, OK Stillwater Medical Center
    Part-time 30hrs/week Tues,Thurs,Sat Must be a certified home health aide Assists in the care and support of the patient at their place of residence, utilizing technical nursing skills with minimum assistance. Makes daily home visits with personal...
  8. Home Health Aide Roslindale, MA Hebrew SeniorLife
    A Home Health Aide is a trained paraprofessional prepared to assist professional personnel in personal care and home management as related to comfort, care, and safety of a consumer in the home. We need aide's in the following towns: Needham,...
  9. Hospice Home Health Aide - Hospice Care Portland, ME MaineHealth
    The primary purpose of the Hospice Aide is to provide personal care and homemaker services based on the IDT care plan, assessments of the patients personal care needs, ability to perform activities of daily living and supervision of care....
  10. Home Health Aide Duluth, MN Essentia Health
    As a team member, will provide personal care services to the residents and provide related tasks in accordance with a plan of care as assigned and supervised by a Registered Nurse. Responsible to care for the residents personal hygiene, promote a...
  11. Home Health Aide - Southern Indiana Indianapolis, IN Community Health Network
    The Home Health Aide position is located in southern Marion county, Johnson county, Bartholomew county, and Brown county. Job Duties The Home Health Aide takes personal care of the patient and completes other simple procedures pertaining to...
  12. Home Health Aide-HH Coastal Home Health Aide Portland, ME MaineHealth
    This position is for a paraprofessional providing care to patients to improve the quality of the patients life in the home environment. The HHA performs tasks required to help maintain and restore the physical, social, and emotional health of...
  13. Home Health Aide St. Cloud, MN CentraCare Health
    Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) required Valid Minnesota Drivers License required Encourages and facilitates the resident's self care skills. Provides periods of stimulation, relaxation, and socialization within the social model of care....
  14. Home Health Aide St. Cloud, MN CentraCare Health
    Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) required Encourages and facilitates the resident's self care skills. Provides periods of stimulation, relaxation, and socialization within the social model of care. Monitors the safety of cognitively impaired...
  15. Home Health Aide II, Home Care - Casual Waconia, MN Ridgeview Medical Center
    This position is responsible for providing personal care and homemaking services to home care and hospice patients under the supervision of an RN. Job Functions Documents the various aspects of care on appropriate forms. Communicates...

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