Home Health Aides

At a Glance

Work in clients' homes
Do a variety of tasks from laundry to giving medications
May travel to several clients' homes in a day
Train on the job
May need a license
Work with people who are elderly, have disabilities, or are recovering
May work part time or full time (most work full time)

Career summary

Home health aides care for recovering patients, the elderly, or people with disabilities in their own homes.

#match with wois 8179 of same title, updated 2/10/15 lh

Home health aides work under the supervision of a nurse.

They help clients with many tasks, including:

Taking medication
Measuring vital signs
Getting out of bed and into the bathroom
Bathing, dressing, and grooming
Exercising

Home health aides also help clients learn how to use adaptive tools, prepare healthy food, or take care of a new infant. They may massage sore muscles and apply treatments, such as ointments or heating pads. They may also clean clients' houses, change their bed linens, and do laundry. Some care for children who are ill or care for the children of ill clients. Home health aides may run errands for clients. They may also accompany clients to doctor's visits.

Aides work with clients on a daily, weekly, or ongoing basis. They may entertain, read aloud, or play cards and other games with clients. They may form close relationships with clients and offer support and comfort. Home health aides monitor physical and emotional changes in their clients. When there are important changes, they notify their supervisors.

Aides keep records of their clients' health. They also record the work they do for clients each visit. Home health aides participate in case reviews with the entire care team. Care teams may include nurses, social workers, and therapists.

Related careers

This career is part of the Health Science cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to home health aides.

Give clients medication under nurses' or doctors' orders.
Clean house, do laundry, and change bed linens.
Shop for food and household supplies and run errands.
Plan and prepare meals, following limitations of clients' diets.
Assist clients in and out of beds, cars, or wheelchairs. Help them walk to bathrooms and up and down stairs.
Bathe, dress, and groom clients.
Check clients' pulse, temperature, and respiration.
Help clients perform their exercises.
Massage clients and apply treatments.
Instruct clients or offer them emotional support.
Entertain clients, read aloud, and play cards and other games.
Keep records of services provided and any changes in clients' condition.
Report changes to supervisors.
Accompany clients to doctors' office and the hospital. Help them get in and out of vehicles.

Common work activities

Home health aides perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

Assist and care for others
Get information needed to do the job
Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
Document and record information
Identify objects, actions, and events
Handle and move objects
Establish and maintain relationships
Evaluate information against standards
Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
Organize, plan, and prioritize work
Update and use job-related knowledge
Process information
Think creatively
Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
Make decisions and solve problems
Judge the value of objects, services, or people
Perform activities that use the whole body
Schedule work and activities
Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
Explain the meaning of information to others
Coach others
Perform for or work with the public

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, home health aides:

Interpersonal relationships

Have a high level of contact with clients and their families.
Communicate by telephone and in person on a daily basis. They communicate less often by letters and memos.
May work in a group or as part of a team. They often work with nurses, doctors, and other aides.
May occasionally deal with unpleasant, angry, or violent people. Clients may be uncomfortable due to their illness.
Are responsible for the health and safety of patients.

Physical work conditions

Often work indoors, but occasionally go outside to run errands or shop.
Regularly wear protective gear, such as masks or rubber gloves.
Work very near patients, often within inches.
May wear a special uniform, depending on the agency or hospital where they work.
Are exposed to diseases, infections, or contaminants.
Occasionally travel in an enclosed vehicle, such as a van or an ambulance. They may accompany patients to the hospital or doctor's office, for example.

Work performance

Must be exact in their work. Errors could endanger their clients' health.
Make decisions that affect patient health on a weekly basis. They can make minor decisions without consulting a supervisor, but often consult a doctor or nurse for more serious medical problems.
Can set some tasks and goals without talking to a supervisor, but often consult a supervisor first.
Sometimes have to repeat the same activities.

Hours/travel

May work part time or full time. Most work full time.
Generally work a set schedule.
May work weekends.
May travel to several clients' homes every day.

Physical demands

Home health aides frequently:

Stand for long periods of time.
Bend or twist their body.
Repeat the same movements.
Use their hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.

It is important for home health aides to be able to:

See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
Understand the speech of another person.
Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for home health aides to be able to:

Use one or two hands to grasp, move, or assemble objects.
Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
Use muscles to lift, push, pull, or carry heavy objects.
Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
Bend, stretch, twist, or reach out.
Be physically active for long periods without getting tired or out of breath.
Coordinate movement of several parts of the body, such as arms and legs, while the body is moving.
Keep or regain the body's balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
Determine the distance between objects.
Use muscles for extended periods without getting tired.
Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.
Choose quickly and correctly among various movements when responding to different signals.
React quickly using hands, fingers, or feet.
Move arms and legs quickly.
Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.

Skills and abilities

Home health aides need to:

Communicate

Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
Understand spoken information.
Listen to others and ask questions.
Read and understand work-related materials.
Write clearly so other people can understand.
Understand written information.

Reason and problem solve

Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
Develop rules that group items in various ways.
Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
Think of new ideas about a topic.
Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
Recognize the nature of a problem.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

Check how well one is learning or doing something.
Manage the time of self and others.
Go back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information without becoming confused.

Work with people

Look for ways to help people.
Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
Persuade others to approach things differently.
Teach others how to do something.
Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
Use several methods to learn or teach new things.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

Training

To work as a home health aide, you typically need to:

have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
complete short-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

While it is still possible to gain employment in this field without additional training past high school, more employers look for applicants with some coursework or a certificate in a related field. Check out offerings at your local community college or vocational school.

In addition, if your employer receives money from Medicare, you must pass competency exams.

On-the-job training

Most home health aides receive training on the job. Training may last up to a month. You learn to read vital signs and help patients with their personal hygiene. You also learn safe transfer techniques and infection control procedures. Training in these areas prepares you to pass competency exams.

Work experience

Volunteer work in a hospital or nursing home provides good experience for this occupation.

Helpful high school courses

You should take a general high school curriculum that meets the state's graduation requirements. You will be required to take both math and science classes to graduate.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

Anatomy and Physiology
Health Education
Home Health Care
Introduction to Health Care
Nursing
Safety and First Aid

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Some employers require applicants to have a high school diploma or equivalent. Most employers provide on-the-job training. This allows people to enter the field with little or no previous experience.

Employers look for home health aides who like to help people and do not mind hard work. Home health aides must be responsible, compassionate, emotionally stable, and cheerful. They also need to be tactful, honest, and discreet about patients' private lives.

Home health aides also must be in good health. Some states may require a physical exam and tests for diseases that are easily passed from one person to another.

Many employers require some experience in a health care setting such as a skilled nursing facility. Because workers provide their own transportation and may drive patients on errands, a valid state driver's license is usually required.

Some employers prefer to hire aides who specialize in certain types of care, such as working with AIDS patients.

Tips

Call home health agencies to see if they offer free or inexpensive training.

Costs to workers

Home health aides must provide their own transportation. Some workers pay to become a certified nursing assistant. Home health aides that are eligible to join the newly formed Service Employees International Union Local #775 must pay initiation fees and regular dues.

Licensing/certification

Some home health care aides must be licensed by the state.

For more information on state requirements, contact:

Washington State Department of Health
Health Professions Quality Assurance
Home Care Aide Program (external link)
360.236.4700

#updated fees 3/28/17 lh. No changes 4/4/18 cj. updated url to home care aide page, removed NAC information. No contact address given.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

Home Health Aides

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website (external link) .

Wages

The minimum wage for Washington State as of January 1, 2020 is $13.50 per hour. Some areas of the state may have a higher minimum wage.

Home health aides (SOC 31-1011)

Location	Pay Period
Location	Pay Period	10%	25%	Median	75%	90%
Washington	Hourly	$11.75	$12.15	$13.31	$14.87	$18.83
	Monthly	$2,036	$2,106	$2,307	$2,577	$3,263
	Yearly	$24,440	$25,280	$27,690	$30,920	$39,170
Bellingham	Hourly	$12.16	$12.72	$13.77	$14.86	$15.73
	Monthly	$2,107	$2,204	$2,386	$2,575	$2,726
	Yearly	$25,299	$26,439	$28,632	$30,903	$32,711
Clarkston-Lewiston	Hourly	$8.50	$9.73	$11.34	$17.67	$20.96
	Monthly	$1,473	$1,686	$1,965	$3,062	$3,632
	Yearly	$17,694	$20,251	$23,602	$36,755	$43,600
Kennewick-Richland	Hourly	$11.97	$12.12	$12.50	$13.06	$14.56
	Monthly	$2,074	$2,100	$2,166	$2,263	$2,523
	Yearly	$24,911	$25,213	$25,990	$27,154	$30,301
Longview	Hourly	$12.13	$12.48	$13.55	$14.86	$15.71
	Monthly	$2,102	$2,163	$2,348	$2,575	$2,723
	Yearly	$25,224	$25,957	$28,180	$30,915	$32,670
Mount Vernon-Anacortes	Hourly	$12.50	$13.01	$13.88	$14.75	$15.31
	Monthly	$2,166	$2,255	$2,405	$2,556	$2,653
	Yearly	$25,989	$27,078	$28,878	$30,677	$31,827
Olympia-Tumwater	Hourly	$12.25	$12.99	$14.26	$15.56	$17.65
	Monthly	$2,123	$2,251	$2,471	$2,697	$3,059
	Yearly	$25,476	$27,030	$29,672	$32,380	$36,702
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	Hourly	$12.25	$12.75	$14.14	$16.16	$25.44
	Monthly	$2,123	$2,210	$2,450	$2,801	$4,409
	Yearly	$25,472	$26,519	$29,409	$33,619	$52,916
Spokane-Spokane Valley	Hourly	$12.03	$12.31	$13.18	$15.18	$17.16
	Monthly	$2,085	$2,133	$2,284	$2,631	$2,974
	Yearly	$25,033	$25,619	$27,408	$31,572	$35,691
Vancouver	Hourly	$10.93	$11.53	$12.37	$13.65	$15.35
	Monthly	$1,894	$1,998	$2,144	$2,366	$2,660
	Yearly	$22,734	$23,973	$25,739	$28,404	$31,927
Wenatchee	Hourly	$12.04	$12.28	$12.67	$14.38	$15.86
	Monthly	$2,087	$2,128	$2,196	$2,492	$2,749
	Yearly	$25,045	$25,543	$26,352	$29,914	$32,989
Yakima	Hourly	$11.96	$12.08	$13.34	$16.14	$18.42
	Monthly	$2,073	$2,093	$2,312	$2,797	$3,192
	Yearly	$24,871	$25,116	$27,756	$33,580	$38,315
United States	Hourly	$9.16	$10.46	$11.63	$13.48	$15.47
	Monthly	$1,587	$1,813	$2,015	$2,336	$2,681
	Yearly	$19,060	$21,750	$24,200	$28,030	$32,180

Wages vary by employer. Home health aides who work for home health care agencies usually earn more than those who work at hospitals or social services agencies. In addition, wages vary by the aide's level of experience and responsibility.

Home health aides are paid only for the time they work in the home. They are not paid for the time it takes to travel from one job to another.

Most employers hire only "on-call" hourly workers. These workers do not receive benefits such as health insurance.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

Home Health Aides (SOC 31-1011)

		This occupation	All occupations
Location	Current employment	Growth over 10 years		Annual openings
Washington	9,504	20.3%	16.1%	1,554
Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties	486	28.6%	13.4%	92
Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman Counties	60	16.7%	8.6%	9
Benton and Franklin Counties	439	18.7%	15.0%	70
Clallam, Jefferson, and Kitsap Counties	131	31.3%	11.9%	25
Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum Counties	858	14.0%	15.2%	125
Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston Counties	829	15.1%	14.1%	124
Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties	367	18.5%	14.6%	58
King County	2,891	23.6%	19.6%	498
Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania, and Yakima Counties	178	21.3%	13.8%	29
Pierce County	623	19.7%	15.2%	100
Snohomish County	809	21.3%	12.4%	134
Spokane County	1,052	21.2%	13.9%	172
United States	831,800	36.6%	5.2%	140,800

National employment

Major employers:

Home health care agencies
Residential care companies
Care facilities for the elderly
Social service agencies
Nursing care facilities

National outlook

Growth will be very strong in this occupation. This is due to an increase in the aging population. Many people prefer to stay in their homes rather than move to nursing homes and other care facilities.

This occupation has high physical and emotional demands. It has a very high turnover rate. Job opportunities also occur as people leave this occupation for other types of work. For people who enjoy this type of work, there will be many job openings.

Other resources

American Health Care Association
1201 L Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
202.842.4444

Home Care Association of Washington
2311 N 45th St, #337
Seattle, WA 98103
425.775.8120

National Association for Home Care & Hospice
228 Seventh Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
202.547.7424

Service Employees International Union
1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
800.424.8592

Service Employees International Union Local 775
215 Columbia Street
Seattle, WA 98104
866.371.3200

References

Career cluster

Health Science

Career path

Social

O*Net occupation

Home Health Aides (31-1011.00)

O*Net job zone

Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed. Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience may be helpful in these occupations, but usually is not needed.

DOT occupation

Home Attendant (354.377-014)

Holland occupational cluster

Social/Realistic/Conventional

COPSystem

Service Skilled