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Home Healthcare Aides
As the population ages, more job opportunities are
opening up for home healthcare
aides. Home
healthcare aides provide a variety
of services
such as making meals, changing
bed linens,
shopping, administering medications
and personal
care such as bathing and grooming.
They can
also serve as companions, accompanying
clients
to appointments outside of the
home. Depending
on the need of the individual,
the home healthcare
aide may work full time or just
a few hours
a day, with some assignments
lasting for
years. Working with the elderly
or disabled,
the home healthcare aide supplies
more extensive
care than family or friends can
provide.
Training to be a Home Health
Care Aide varies
from state to state. The National
Association
for Home Care offers national
certification
for home care aides. Because
the aide works
in private homes, confidentiality
and discreetness
are a must. A physical examination,
including
such mandated tests as tuberculosis,
may
be required.
The Federal government has guidelines for
the hiring of health care workers for those
patients who receive Medicare reimbursements.
Federal law requires home health aides to
pass a competency test. Included in this
test are areas such as: communication skills;
documentation of patient status and care
provided; reading and recording vital signs;
basic infection control procedures; basic
body functions; maintenance of a healthy
environment; emergency procedures; physical,
emotional, and developmental characteristics
of patients; personal hygiene and grooming;
safe transfer techniques; normal range of
motion and positioning; and basic nutrition.
Training is available before
taking the competency
test. Training and testing programs
are often
offered by the employing agency;
they should
be supervised by a registered
nurse and should
meet the standards of the Center
for Medicare
and Medicaid services.
To find the right home health care service
for your needs, consult your physician, hospital
discharge planner, or a social service organization.
Your state department on health, aging, and
social services can also provide a list of
certified home healthcare providers. |
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