Career Information:
Jobs in Home Health Care Services
If you love working with people and are dedicated to helping people to live at home despite illness or disability, then you might be well suited for a job in home health services. Since more than 80% of health and social services are provided to individuals living in their own homes, this can be an ideal opportunity for those who want to be employed in a helping profession.
- Companion Care
With more and more people needing help with meals and light housework, there are plenty of opportunities for persons who are ready to lend a helping hand. The pay for these kinds of positions tends to be low but the advantages are flexible hours, low stress and the opportunity to choose one's assignments. Companions may find work through word-of-mouth or through agencies which specialize in matching clients with companions from the agency's pool of workers. Often the clients need little more than supervision and socialization.
- Health Aides
Health aides provide assistance with bathing, grooming, personal care and sometimes toileting assistance. Health aides typically have completed a formal training program and have certification in CPR and First Aid. They may find employment through agencies or via word-of-mouth. Health aides may provide very short periods of assistance to several clients in a day when employed by a home health agency or may be assigned to provide large amounts of time to individual clients.
- Geriatric Case Managers
Very often social service agencies will hire geriatric case managers to make home visits to ensure that older adults have adequate care and a safe home environment. Many times the case managers are social workers but this is not always the case. Case managers do know and understand the health care system, how to access resources and how to navigate the maze of community-based health and social service programs. Case managers make referrals, serve as patient advocates and help clients to maintain living at home for as long as possible.
- Escorts
Many community-based programs are in escorts to provide one-to-one assistance for people who need to be accompanied to medical appointments, on errands or for recreational or social programs. Escorts are often hired via home health agencies, senior centers or directly by individuals in need of such services or their families. Actual physical assistance is typically minimal. Escorts are generally providing support to persons who may be physically challenged, unable to manage independently, have memory impairment or vision impairment or other disability.
- Drivers
Many seniors rely on transportation services for medical appointments, getting to and from shopping malls, attending programs at adult day centers or enjoying activities at local senior centers. Most senior centers and often many agencies hire drivers to provide door-to-door transportation for frail elders. Drivers most often are operating small vans which can seat anywhere from 6 -- 15 people.
Jobs in the arena of home services are growing as the number of aging Americans continues to grow. While these jobs offer a great chance to provide a much needed service, the work is demanding and requires great patience and empathy.
Before considering a position in the arena of home care services, take a moment and consider these questions:
~ Do I enjoy working with people?
~ Do I have patience for working in situations where schedules change frequently?
~Do I enjoy working with little supervision?
~ Am I ready for the needed travel that is required for home care services?
~ Am I able to be dependable?
~ Do I have good communication skills?
~ Am I ready to work in a job that is emotionally demanding?
Though many of these jobs do not bring great pay, they do bring great rewards in helping others to live their lives as fully as possible and remaining at home for as long as feasible.
Information is for educational and informational purposes only and is not be interpreted as financial or legal advice. This does not represent a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. Please consult your financial advisor.