Introduction
As outlined below, there are a number of qualifying factors potential consumers of home health assistance should know when deciding the best course of action to assist their aging family members, or those who have chronic conditions. Potential consumers of home health assistance often derive their answer by deciding to employ the services of a home health aide.
While most aging individuals lose the ability to perform certain activities of daily living, many home health aides provide support services to individuals like those aged clients to help them gain a measure of independence and improve their overall quality of life.
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
The comfort of receiving health care support at home is the inverse of the support provided to patients living in assisted nursing facilities. The family members of those patients believe the support provided in nursing facilities is a necessary compromise.
However, home care is not easy to choose. Questions arise for families.
- What is the role of a home health aide?
- What are the costs for home health aide services
- What training is necessary for an aide?
- Is a home health aide a nurse?
- What is the best way to choose a caregiver?
- Is home health aide care insurance reimbursable?
This guide answers all your questions about home health aides, including their roles and benefits, the training they undergo, the costs and the processes involved in employing them, and the ways they assist those in need of care in their homes.
What Is a Home Health Aide?
A home health aide is a trained person who cares for the sick and assists with the activities of daily living in the home.
They typically assist:
- Elderly people
- The disabled
A home health aide will help with personal care, observation of the sick, help with movement, meal preparation, and will engage the sick in activities to relieve the boredom of being alone.
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
The presence of a home health aide is a better option than having a family member who is providing help at home since the home health aide is a trained caregiver who knows how to provide caring help to someone who has a need for home care.
The main aim of a home health aide is to provide assistance, enhance comfort and safety, and increase independence.
What Does a Home Health Aide Do?
The activities of a home health aide depend primarily on the needs and health status of a person and the care plan.
Some individuals require only a few hours of care a week, while others may need care on a daily basis.
Some typical care activities include:
- Assistance With Daily Living Activities
- Aging, illness, injury, or disability can make performing everyday tasks difficult for some individuals.
A home health aide may help with:
- Bathing
- Dressing
- Grooming
- Toileting
- Eating
- Moving safely around the home
These tasks can be referred to as activities of daily living (ADLs). Supporting individuals in completing ADLs helps them retain their dignity while receiving assistance.
O*NET ONLINE
An example of this may be an elderly individual who, after receiving hip surgery, may need assistance with dressing, safe movement, and personal hygiene until he/she/they are strong enough to accomplish these tasks independently.
- Personal Care Support
Personal care is one of the most prominent services that home health aides provide.
This consists of:
- Assisting with showers/baths
- Helping with oral hygiene
- Clothing changes
- Bathroom routine
- Personal cleanliness tasks
These activities of personal care require much patience and respect as they deal with very personal routines of daily living.
A home health aide is a professional who understands the balance between personal care and the privacy and independence of the individual.
Mobility Assistance
Aging and certain health conditions can make safe movement difficult for many individuals.
A home health aide may provide assistance with:
- Safe walking
- Transfers from beds/chairs
- Using walkers and other mobility devices
- The prevention of falls
Support for safe movement is especially important for older adults as falls often cause serious injuries.
Meal Preparation and Nutrition Support
For individuals living alone or with limited mobility, it may be difficult to achieve adequate nutrition.
Home health aides can assist with the following:
- Meal Preparation
- Food Shopping
- Promoting Healthy Eating
- Following Dietary Guidelines
Though they are not dietitians, aides ensure the individual gets served meals on a regular basis and keeps the individual on schedule.
Medication Assistance
Home health aides may assist individuals in taking their medication on a schedule.
Whether they can assist with medication depends on their training and state laws.
They may assist by:
- Helping clients stay on schedule with their medications
- Creating a schedule
- Reporting issues to family members or healthcare staff
Health care and medication decisions are the responsibility of health care providers.
Health Care
Some aides may help by keeping track of basic health care and notifying nurses or family members of any changes.
This may include monitoring:
- Behavior
- Movement
- Appetite
- Health Care
The most important role of a home health aide may be companionship.
Many older adults feel:
- Loneliness
- Social Isolation
- Less Daily Interaction
- A home health aide offers conversation, encouragement, and emotional support.
Talking, reading, or even walking with the aide can improve the individual’s overall daily experience.
Home Health Aide vs Caregiver vs Nurse
These roles are often confused due to their overlapping nature.
Knowing the distinctive features of each role may help families decide what type of support is most beneficial.
Home Health Aide
Home Health Aides have the following responsibilities:
- Assisting clients with daily activities
- Providing basic health support
- Performing personal care and health related activities
- Providing companionship
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Personal Caregiver
Caregivers may help with:
- Assisting with daily living activities
- Household chores
- Providing transportation
- Providing companionship
- Preparing food
Depending on the training and location, caregivers may provide personal care tasks.
Registered Nurse
Nurses provide care that is regulated by law and requires a professional license.
Nurses may provide:
- The administration of medications
- Assessment and evaluation of a person’s health
- Caring for and dressing wounds
- Plans of care and protocols for treatment
Home Health Aides do not perform the functions of a nurse and are part of the care team.
Who Needs a Home Health Aide?
Home Health Aides provide benefits to many different populations.
Seniors Aging at Home
Home Health Aides help seniors age in place by providing in-home health support.
Home Health Aides help maintain the independence of seniors.
People Recovering from Surgery
Home Health Aides assist people recovering from surgery with personal care and health support.
Home Health Aides assist people recovering from surgery with health support for daily living activities.
People with Disabilities
Home Health Aides assist people with disabilities by providing support for daily living activities.
Home Health Aides help make people with disabilities feel safe and more independent.
People with Chronic Conditions
Home Health Aides provide support for daily living activities for people with chronic health conditions.
Advantages of Hiring a Home Health Aide
Enables Individuals to Stay Home
One advantage of hiring home health aides is the ability for individuals to stay in their home.
The home is:
- The Most Comfortable Place
- Where the Most Personal Memories are Kept
- Where the Most Familiar Routines are
- Where the Most Emotional Stability is
- Home Health Aides Provide Family Caregiver Relief
The majority of caregiving is done by family members. However, family members may experience caregiving fatigue. Hiring a home health aide will relieve family members of some of the caregiving duties.
Hiring a home health aide will allow family members to:
- Relax
- Go Back to Work
- Spend More Time With Family
- Makes the Home a Safer Place
Home health aides reduce the potential of:
- Falls
- Nutritional Deprivation
- Neglecting Daily Tasks
- Unsafe Mobility
Home health aides make the home a safer place by providing the needed assistance.
Health Aides Help to Maintain Independence
People are often concerned that assistance means losing independence. A home health aide will assist by providing help in the areas that are needed the most, while allowing individuals the greatest amount of freedom possible.
Hiring a Home Health Aide
The cost of hiring a home health aide will depend on the:
- Where You Live
- How Many Hours Care will be Needed
- Whether You Choose to Hire an Agency or a Private Care Aide
- How Much Care is Needed
How Experienced the Aide is
As stated in The Washington Post, cost comparisons show that the greatest cost variability will depend on where care is being provided and the local labor market. The cost will also vary based on the care that is being requested.
Care can most commonly be paid for by:
- Paying Out of Pocket
- Long-Term Care Insurance
- Medicaid (based on their current guidelines)
- Veteran’s Benefits
- Some other health care plans
Family members need to determine how to pay for care before deciding on the type of care that is needed.
How to Find a Qualified Home Health Aide
Finding the most suitable caregiver requires thorough consideration.
Choose Between an Agency and Private Hire
Typically, two pathways are open to families:
- Home Care Agency
Benefits:
- They do background checks
- Provide replacement caregivers
- Offer administrative support
- Have systems for training
Downsides:
- More expensive
- Less choice in caregivers
- Private Hiring
Benefits:
- Full choice in caregiver
- Can be less costly
Downsides:
- All paperwork for family
- They do background checks
- They provide their own schedule
- THE WASHINGTON POST
- Check Experience and Training
Caregiving experience is the first consideration, then ask:
- Have you handled other situations like this?
- Have you worked in emergency care?
- What training do you have, and what is the highest level of training you hold?
Considerations will be surged by potential employers where you live.
Look for Compassion and Communication Skills
While technical skills will and should be considered, the correct personality must be selected.
This must include the traits of:
- Patience
- Reliability
- Respect
- Compassion
- Communication
Ultimately, a strong caregiver-client relationship will generate the best quality of care.
Things to Consider When Hiring a Home Health Aide
In making your decision, consider the following:
- What do you consider the limit of your care?
- What are your work hours?
- Can you provide references?
- How do you envision responding to an emergency?
- What experiences have you had with care of this type?
- How would you communicate to me your concerns?
All of this will serve the purpose of developing a positive relationship for both caregivers and receivers of care.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
1. What is a home health aide?
A home health aide is a professional trained caregiver who provides help with activities of everyday life and personal care. They can also provide support for basic health needs while the individual remains in the comfort of their own home.
2. What does a home health aide do every day?
Some of the daily duties may encompass help with bathing, dressing, preparing meals, help with mobility, companionship, and watching for any change in a person’s condition.
3. Is a home health aide the same as a nurse?
No. A home health aide will provide personal care and support for daily activities, while nurses will provide medical care which requires licensing.
4. How much does a home health aide cost?
Price will vary based on location and the number of required hours. It will also depend on whether you go through an agency or hire a home health aide privately.
5. Can a home health aide help elderly people?
Yes. A home health aide may provide necessary support to an elderly person to accomplish daily tasks and support their efforts to remain independent.
6. Does Medicare pay for a home health aide?
Medicare will cover a home health aide on a limited basis and only if specific criteria are met. Coverage is only for a short duration of home health visits and will not cover assistance for long-term custodial care.
7. What qualifications should a home health aide have?
Qualifications will vary on which state the home health aide resides in, but in many states they may complete a training program.
8. How do I find a trustworthy home health aide?
If you go through an established agency, check their references, verify their previous experience, and interview them you are much more likely to find a trustworthy aide.
9. Is it possible for a home health aide to stay with a patient?
Caregivers may offer live-in services, based on the type of contract and care needed.
10. How does home health care differ from home care?
Home health care is mainly for the provision of health care services by certified professionals and involves some medical procedures. Home care is more focused on daily living activities.
Conclusion
Home health aides offer much more than basic helping services. Home health aides improve the safety and comfort of people living in their homes and help them maintain their independence.
They offer the much needed physical, emotional and practical support to: the elderly, the sick, the physically and mentally challenged and families with extended care needs.
Selection of a caregiver should be approached with caution and involve ample consultation and a clear understanding of care recipient’s situation and needs. The ideal home health aide has to be a person with a rich experience in caregiving and with a lot of love with a personal touch in service delivery.
With most people opting for the home model of aging and customized care solutions, home health aides have a significant role to play in the area of health care by enabling people to lead safe, healthy and independent lives.
