Home Health Aid
Home health aides help elderly, convalescent, or disabled persons live in their own homes instead of in a health facility. Under the direction of nursing or medical staff, they provide health-related services, such as administering oral medications. Like nursing aides, home health aides may check pulse, temperature, and respiration; help with simple prescribed exercises; keep patients’ rooms neat; and help patients move from bed, bathe, dress, and groom. Occasionally, they change nonsterile dressings, give massages and alcohol rubs, or assist with braces and artificial limbs. Experienced home health aides also may assist with medical equipment such as ventilators, which help patients breathe.
Most home health aides work with elderly or disabled persons who need more extensive care than family or friends can provide. Some help discharged hospital patients who have relatively short-term needs.
In home healthcare agencies, a registered nurse, physical therapist, or social worker usually assigns specific duties and supervises home health aides. Aides keep records of services performed and patients’ condition and progress. They report changes in patients’ conditions to the supervisor or case manager.
Home Health Aid
