In some ways, working as a home health aide is similar to working as a nursing assistant or nurse’s aide. Most of the basic medical procedures and many of the personal care procedures you perform will be the same. However, some aspects of working in the home are very different from working in a hospital or other care facility.
- Housekeeping. You may have housekeeping responsibilities, including cooking, cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping, for at least some of your clients.
- Family contact. You may have a lot more contact with clients’ families in the home than you would in a facility.
- Independence. You will work independently as a home health aide. Your supervisor will monitor your work, but you will spend most of your hours working with clients without direct supervision. Thus you must be a responsible and independent worker.
- Communication. Good written and verbal communication skills are important. Keep yourself informed of changes in the client care plan. You must keep others informed of changes you observe in the client and the client’s environment.
- Transportation. You will have to get yourself from one client’s home to another. You will need to have a dependable car or know how to use public transportation. You may also face bad weather conditions. Clients need your care, regardless of weather conditions.
- Safety. Be aware of personal safety when you are traveling alone to visit clients. You may be visiting clients in high-crime areas. Be aware of your surroundings, walk confidently, and avoid dangerous situations.
- Flexibility. Each client’s home will be different. You will need to adapt to the changes in environment. In a care facility, you know what supplies will be available and what kind of cleanliness and organization to expect at work. In home care, you may not know until you get there.
- Working environment. Nursing homes are built to make caregiving easier and safer. They have wide doors, large bathing facilities, and special equipment for transferring residents. If needed, other caregivers are close by and can help move a resident or answer questions you may have. In home care, the physical layout of rooms, stairs, lack of equipment, cramped bathrooms, rugs, clutter, and even pets can complicate caregiving.
- Client’s home. In a client’s home, you are a guest. Be respectful of the client’s property and customs. The client is in control most of the time.
- Clients’ comfort. One of the best things about home care is that it allows clients to stay in the familiar and comfortable surroundings of their own homes. This can help most clients recover or adapt to their condition more quickly.