What Does it Take to Be a Home Health Aide?
Career Description Provide routine individualized healthcare such as changing bandages and dressing wounds, and applying topical medications to the elderly, convalescents, or persons with disabilities at the patient’s home or in a care facility. Monitor or report changes in health status. May also provide personal care such as bathing, dressing, and grooming of patient.
A Day in the Life of a Home Health Aide
- Care for patients by changing bed linens, washing and ironing laundry, cleaning, or assisting with their personal care.
- Perform a variety of duties as requested by client, such as obtaining household supplies or running errands.
- Provide patients and families with emotional support and instruction in areas such as caring for infants, preparing healthy meals, living independently, or adapting to disability or illness.
- Entertain, converse with, or read aloud to patients to keep them mentally healthy and alert.
- Accompany clients to doctors' offices or on other trips outside the home, providing transportation, assistance, and companionship.
- Bathe patients.
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Home Health Aide Required Skills
When polled, Home Health Aides say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Certified Medical Aide (CMA)
- Resident Care Provider
- Resident Care Aide
- Health Service Worker
- Hospice Aide
Job Outlook for Home Health Aides
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 911,500 jobs in the United States for Home Health Aide. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 47.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 431,200 new jobs for Home Health Aide by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 168,600 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Home Health Aide are Arizona, District of Columbia, and New York. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, South Dakota, or North Carolina. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Home Health Aide Salary
The typical yearly salary for Home Health Aides is somewhere between $19,060 and $32,180.
Home Health Aides who work in North Dakota, Rhode Island, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.
How much do Home Health Aides make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $20,780 |
| Alaska | $29,890 |
| Arizona | $25,470 |
| Arkansas | $23,070 |
| California | $33,680 |
| Colorado | $26,980 |
| Connecticut | $28,240 |
| Delaware | $29,560 |
| District of Columbia | $29,290 |
| Florida | $24,280 |
| Georgia | $23,140 |
| Hawaii | $27,620 |
| Idaho | $25,150 |
| Illinois | $25,370 |
| Indiana | $23,960 |
| Iowa | $30,320 |
| Kansas | $24,560 |
| Kentucky | $24,460 |
| Louisiana | $21,080 |
| Maine | $27,380 |
| Maryland | $27,540 |
| Massachusetts | $30,830 |
| Michigan | $24,770 |
| Minnesota | $28,940 |
| Mississippi | $22,580 |
| Missouri | $25,080 |
| Montana | $25,940 |
| Nebraska | $24,380 |
| Nevada | $35,450 |
| New Hampshire | $29,140 |
| New Jersey | $24,450 |
| New Mexico | $23,080 |
| New York | $26,240 |
| North Carolina | $21,120 |
| North Dakota | $34,100 |
| Ohio | $22,570 |
| Oklahoma | $23,380 |
| Oregon | $26,450 |
| Pennsylvania | $25,310 |
| Rhode Island | $32,440 |
| South Carolina | $21,810 |
| South Dakota | $29,820 |
| Tennessee | $22,620 |
| Texas | $21,910 |
| Utah | $26,580 |
| Vermont | $28,110 |
| Virginia | $23,440 |
| Washington | $30,100 |
| West Virginia | $23,120 |
| Wisconsin | $25,330 |
| Wyoming | $28,060 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Home Health Aides
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Home Health Aides:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Python
- Microsoft Access
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft SharePoint
- Linux
- UNIX
- Oracle software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Salesforce software
- SAP software
How to Become a Home Health Aide
Learn what Home Health Aide education requirements there are.
How many years of work experience do I need?
Who Employs Home Health Aides?
The table below shows the approximate number of Home Health Aides employed by various industries.
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References:
Image Credit: Sgt. Courtney Richardson, 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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