Have you ever considered becoming a home health aide? Home health aides provide support to patients, in a rapidly growing career field. In fact, the number of home health aide jobs in the United States is expected to grow by 36 percent between now and 2028, which is a much higher growth rate than average. Becoming a home health aide doesn’t require extensive training- in fact, the training can be completed in as little as three weeks. It does, however, require a certain type of person. What kind of person can be a home health aide?
There are actually several characteristics necessary to be an effective home health aide (HHA). Do you have what it takes?
- Patience: During the course of a day at work, an HHA must stay calm and exercise self-control. Often, clients have limited mobility and require assistance with daily tasks, which can put a crimp in the daily schedule. Patience allows a home health aide to assist without rushing and helps to keep from upsetting the client.
- Honesty: Home health aides help clients with some very intimate tasks, and work in their homes. Patients and their families must trust their home health aides to keep confidential matters private, and home health aides must display integrity in all of their dealings.
- Empathy: Empathetic caregivers understand how their clients are feeling, and help them to feel less alone. Compassion develops as an HHA works with patients, and as it does it creates deeper bonds. This makes visits more enjoyable and makes the aide a better caregiver.
- Dependability: Clients need to know they can rely on their caregivers to be reliable and follow through on their responsibilities.
- Flexibility: Home health aides tend to more than just their patients’ health. They run errands, help with personal hygiene, do household chores, provide companionship, plan and prepare meals, and adapt to the client’s changing needs. The tasks they perform aren’t always pleasant, but they are necessary to help the patient.
- Good communication: Caregivers must be good at expressing their thoughts and listening to others, answering the concerns of clients in a clear and compassionate manner. They also must write clear, concise reports.
- Perceptive nature: Being aware of every small change in your patient’s condition can help you to be an effective caregiver. When a home health aide is quick to notice shifts from the normal condition, major problems can often be avoided.
If you’re ready to pursue certification for a career as a home health aide, ABC Training Center can provide the training you need. A healthcare training institute that NYC students trust, ABC Training Center been serving students in the New York City area since 1972. We provide high-quality, nationally certified programs that prepare students for meaningful work in any medical setting. Continue browsing to learn more about our medical training programs in New York, contact us through our website, or call us at 718-618-5589.