What Home Health Aides Do
Home health aides help people with disabilities, chronic illness, or cognitive impairment with activities of daily living. They often help older adults who need assistance. In some states, home health aides may be able to give a client medication or check the client’s vital signs under the direction of a nurse or other healthcare practitioner.
Work Environment
Home health aides held about 913,500 jobs in 2014. They work in a variety of settings, including clients’ homes, group homes, and day services programs.
How to Become a Home Health Aide
There are no formal education requirements for home health aides, but most aides have at least a high school diploma. Home health aides working in certified home health or hospice agencies must complete formal training and pass a standardized test.
Pay
The median annual wage for home health aides was $22,600 in May 2016.
Job Outlook
Employment of home health aides is projected to grow 38 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. As the baby-boom population ages and the elderly population grows, demand for the services of home health aides to provide assistance will continue to increase.
| Hours | 84 |
| Registration Fees | $39 |
| Tuition | $399 |
| Books | $50 |
| Total | $488 |