A Certified Home Health Aide Can Allow A Patient To Remain At Home

By Audrey McGuire


A certified home health aide is a person who provides in-home medical care to ill or injured individuals. This care is basic and is not meant to replace medical care acquired from a doctor or other licensed health care practitioner. The demand for such jobs has increased considerably over the past ten years, and this trend is expected to continue until 2016.

The goal of the aforementioned care is to help patients stay in their homes. The latter is preferable to most individuals when compared with the need to be placed in a long-term care facility. Home health aides can assist patients to perform their activities of daily living while maintaining their independence.

There are a variety of duties that certified aides may perform. These include taking the individual's vital signs, assisting him or her to exercise or walk, helping the patient dress and bathe, and administering oral medications. Depending on the laws in the part of the country where the client lives, some aides can also operate ventilators, perform massages, and change dressings.

Home health employees are always supervised by a registered or licensed nurse, or a physician. They cannot treat or diagnose a disease, or provide medical advice. However, they are instructed to report any unusual changes regarding the patient to one of the professionals listed above.

Because many individuals depend on their insurance companies to pay for such care, it is essential for the aide to maintain appropriate records concerning the care offered. These records are then used by the agency to bill the proper party. However, even those who pay themselves for their care must have a file in which the details of their case is recorded with the health agency. Privacy is maintained regarding such records, and each patient is given a copy of the care that was administered at each visit.

To become certified, aides must typically complete seventy-five hours of field training and pass a written exam. The skills one must have to complete this training includes the ability to help lift patients, a thorough understanding of how to provide personal care, and the ability to communicate effectively with the agency for which he or she works.

When looking for personal care for a homebound individual, whether the latter is ill or disabled, one must carefully select a health agency. Most establishments of this type are legitimate; however, anyone who will be coming into a person's dwelling should be carefully screened in advance. This can be accomplished by asking for licensing information on the company, and checking the background of each agency one is considering.

After a certified home health aide is chosen, the person and his or her loved ones should evaluate the employee's performance for 2 to 3 weeks after the regular visits have started. If the aide is performing his or her duties to the family and patient's satisfaction, long-term arrangements can be agreed upon. If not, it may be necessary for the client or his or her family to ask for a different individual. When the aforementioned steps are followed, finding the most suitable professional for the task should not be difficult.




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