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Home Health Aides, also known as Homemaker-Home Health Aides, provide personal and homemaking services to ill, convalescing, elderly, and disabled persons and, if needed, to their families. Home Health Aides usually perform their duties in the patients' homes.  

Job Duties  

Home Health Aides may:  

Measure patients' pulse, body temperature, and respiration rates  

Change surgical dressings for patients under the supervision of a registered nurse  

Give medication to patients under the supervision of a registered nurse  

Help patients to exercise  

Assist patients to bathe or give bed baths  

Help patients into and out of beds, automobiles, and wheelchairs  

Transport patients to doctor's offices  

Entertain patients by reading aloud or play cards or other games  

Massage patients and apply preparations, such as alcohol rubs  

Change patients' bed linen  

Wash and iron patients' laundry  

Purchase food for patients and family members  

Prepare and serve "balanced" meals or meals for special diets  

Clean patients' living quarters  

Maintain records on services performed and the patients' condition  

Provide information on preparing healthful meals on limited income, household management  

Assist patients to adapt to limitations caused by disability  

Discuss cases with supervisors  

Act as a companion or friend to patients  

Teach patients and family members approved medical techniques, such as mobility training in the use of walkers, crutches, and other devices  

Tools and equipment used may include:  

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES  

Home Health Aides may specialize in these areas:  

354.377-014 HOME HEALTH AIDES  

354.377-014 HOME ATTENDANTS provide personal, nursing-type services to patients who are usually elderly and living alone.  

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:  

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS  

Home Health Aides usually work alone with individual patients. They work under the supervision of a registered nurse, social worker, or other person in an appropriate profession.  

Aide's surroundings vary from one case to another. Patients homes may be located anywhere within the employer's service area. Home Health Aides may work with patients of different ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds with various physical or mental ailments.  

Home Health Aides usually have the option of working either a full-time (32-40 hours per week) or a part-time schedule. Part-time Aides often have flexible schedules. Home Health Aides may work only a few hours a day or a couple of days a week. Since patients require car at all hours, many Aides work weekends, holidays, and nights. Aides may also visit several patients each day. Most Home Health Aides are part-time employees.  

Home Health Aides are seldom required to wear uniforms, but some employers provide them.  

You Should Prefer:  

• Helping people  

• Having business contact with people  

You Should Be Able To:  

• Perform a variety of tasks with frequent change of task  

• Rate information using personal judgment  

• Cope with patients' suffering  

• Follow very specific instructions  

• Keep accurate records  

• Work independently and with self-direction  

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:  

If a patient's heart beats 16 times in 15 seconds, what is his or her pulse after one minute?  

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:  

Iron-deficiency anemia occurs when your body lacks the iron needed to manufacture hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the body.  

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:  

You should be able to write a report explaining any complications that might have occurred with a patient while you were aiding him or her.  

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:  

You should be able to decide the best way to treat a patient that is regularly angry and violent.  

Home Health Aides must pass a yearly physical examination and show no signs of active tuberculosis. They may also be required to have a valid driver's license and their own transportation. Personal or business references may be required also.  

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES  

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma with specific Vocational Education Classes or a Certificate (program of up to one year of study beyond high school) or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.  

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:  

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***  

0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1100 ECONOMICS , 1500 FOODS & NUTRITION , 1800 HEALTH & HEALTH CAREERS , 2200 MATH , 2900 SCIENCE , 3100 STUDY & WORK OPTIONS  

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***  

019 NURSING OCCUPATIONS CLUSTER  

Approved vocational education programs in Nursing Occupations Cluster prepare students to give direct nursing care under the supervision of a nurse or physician. Instruction includes a combination of classroom and supervised clinical experiences.  

The following courses may be required for completion of this program:  

High school students should consult their guidance office for more information about the specific requirements of this program at their school or area vocational education center.  

021 CONSUMER HOME ECONOMICS EDUCATION  

Approved vocational education programs in Consumer Home Economics  

Education prepare students at all education levels for the occupation of homemaking. Emphasis is on the understanding of attitudes, standards, and skills that pertain to individual and family life. Some instructional programs would emphasize child growth and development, housing and home management, food and nutrition, family living and parenthood, among others. These programs prepare students for a multiple role of homemaker and wage earner.  

The following courses may be required for completion of this program:  

CHILD DEVELOPMENT & PARENTHOOD EDUCATION  

FAMILY RELATIONS/PARENTHOOD EDUCATION  

CLOTHING & TEXTILES  

FOODS & NUTRITION  

CONSUMER EDUCATION  

HOME MANAGEMENT  

FAMILY HEALTH  

HOUSING & HOME FURNISHINGS  

High school students should consult their guidance office for more information about the specific requirements of this program at their school or area vocational education center.  

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***  

073 HEALTH AIDE TRAINING  

Programs in Health Aide Training provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for employment assisting in the care of patients in hospitals, clinical settings, or in the patient's home.  

Training usually includes instruction in the following:  

             Search for a College and/or Instructional Program  

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***  

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript  

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***  

There are no Military Programs related to this MOIScript    

E-Learning Courses and Programs     

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY  

Experience in this field may be gained through part-time, volunteer, after school, or weekend work in nursing homes, senior citizen housing complexes, hospitals, or volunteer organizations like the Salvation Army or meals-on-wheels program. Secondary vocational education programs in nursing occupations cluster, health occupations education, and consumer home economics and postsecondary health aide training programs may offer co-op opportunities for practical experience. During the summer, local governments might sponsor programs which employ young people to run errands for and give other aid to elderly citizens.  

                School-to-Work opportunities include:  

informal apprenticeships  

mentorships  

job shadowing experiences  

touring a local Home Health Aide employer  

internships  

volunteer work with a Home Health Aide employer  

community service work with an agency  

Methods of entering this field include applying directly to employers and taking civil service exams for positions with federal, state, or local governmental agencies. Opportunities may also be located by visiting school placement offices or reading newspaper want ads. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:   

Michigan Talent Bank

Classifieds Employment    

Yahoo! Careers   

You should also enter an electronic resume on these on-line services.  

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT  

Most Home Health Aides are paid by the employing agency. Some are paid by financially-able patients. Earnings usually vary with the employer, geographic location, and Home Health Aide's experience.  

Nationally, Home Health Aides earned a median annual salary of $16,172 ($7.87 per hour) in 1998. Earnings for Home Health Aides vary considerably. Some earn the Federal Minimum wage of $5.15 per hour. Most employers give slight pay increases with experience and added responsibility. Aides in large cities that have high living costs generally have the highest wages, up to $10.00 per hour. Aides may be paid extra if they are certified.  

In Michigan hospitals, nursing assistants earned an average of $9.56 per hour in 1998.  

Home Health Aides employed by the State of Michigan earned between $11.78 and $15.67 per hour in mid 1999.  

Community health assistants working for the City of Detroit were paid from $7.84 to $11.68 per hour in early 1998.  

Some aides received payment per mile for their travel costs. Depending on the employer, Home Health Aides were also paid extra for working weekends or servicing households with more than one patient needing care.  

Part-time Home Health Aides seldom receive benefits. Most full-time aides receive employer-paid hospitalization, life, dental, and disability insurance; paid holidays, vacations, and sick leave; and malpractice coverage. Some also receive tuition reimbursement.  

Advancement for Home Health Aides consists of pay raises for increased skills and experience. The best opportunities exist for persons who have gained related experience either caring for family members or as a nurse aide. While the job duties of nurse aides and Home Health Aides may be about the same, Home Health Aides tend to earn higher hourly wages. Some employers may require that beginning Home Health Aides have experience as a nurse aide.  

Some Home Health Aides take college courses while working. With additional formal education, they may obtain a position as a licensed practical nurse, registered nurse, or health technician, such as a medical laboratory technician.  

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK  

Nationally, there were about 494,700 persons employed as Home Health Aides in 1996. Employment of Home Health Aides is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2006. About 4.2% of them were self-employed. The industry distribution for Home Health Aides looked like this:  

Increased awareness on the part of the public and the medical profession of the availability of home care services is one of the main reasons for the bright future for this occupation. Also, care provided in the home is less expensive than in institutions and may cause less psychological disruption for patients. This along with the growth in the "over-65" population, many of whom need home care, will account for a sharp increase in the need for Home Health Aides. In addition, a high turnover rate among current Home Health Aides will make available many openings for persons wishing to enter this field. However, the growth projections may change if the amount of available government funds should change.  

Approximately 17,875 Home Health Aides are employed in Michigan.

Employment of Home Health Aides in Michigan is expected to increase much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005. It is estimated that there will be 1,850 openings annually, with 1,580 due to growth and 270 due to replacement of workers who retire or leave the labor force for other reasons.  

The rising cost of professional health care and a need to provide services to an increasing elderly population, wishing to receive health services in their homes, will contribute to the rapid growth rate for this occupation. About 85-90% of home health care participants have been 65 years of age or older. However, hospital cost cutting measures have resulted in the reduction of patients' time spent in hospitals. Therefore, Home Health Aides will be needed to provide care to younger people as well. Other factors contributing to the growing demand of Home Health Aides are the availability of Medicare and Medicaid program payments and the growing inclusion of home health care in health insurance policies.  

State and federal funding will also play an important role in the employment outlook of Home Health Aides.  

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005  

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.  

SUMMARY PROFILE  

The occupation of Home Heath Aide can be summarized by the following:  

  MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development