Home Health Aides
Significant human skills needed
Some tasks in this role may be augmented by AI, but human oversight and interpersonal skills remain important.
Monitor the health status of an individual with disabilities or illness, and address their health-related needs, such as changing bandages, dressing wounds, or administering medication. Work is performed under the direction of offsite or intermittent onsite licensed nursing staff. Provide assistance with routine healthcare tasks or activities of daily living, such as feeding, bathing, toileting, or ambulation. May also help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry depending on the patient's abilities.
Core Tasks
- Maintain records of patient care, condition, progress, or problems to report and discuss observations with supervisor or case manager.
- Provide patients with help moving in and out of beds, baths, wheelchairs, or automobiles and with dressing and grooming.
- Bathe patients.
- Care for patients by changing bed linens, washing and ironing laundry, cleaning, or assisting with their personal care.
- Entertain, converse with, or read aloud to patients to keep them mentally healthy and alert.
- Plan, purchase, prepare, or serve meals to patients or other family members, according to prescribed diets.
- Check patients' pulse, temperature, and respiration.
- Provide patients and families with emotional support and instruction in areas such as caring for infants, preparing healthy meals, living independently, or adapting to disability or illness.
- Perform a variety of duties as requested by client, such as obtaining household supplies or running errands.
- Direct patients in simple prescribed exercises or in the use of braces or artificial limbs.
- Massage patients or apply preparations or treatments, such as liniment, alcohol rubs, or heat-lamp stimulation.
Supplemental Tasks (4)
- Administer prescribed oral medications, under the written direction of physician or as directed by home care nurse or aide, and ensure patients take their medicine.
- Care for children with disabilities or who have sick parents or parents with disabilities.
- Accompany clients to doctors' offices or on other trips outside the home, providing transportation, assistance, and companionship.
- Change dressings.
Emerging Tasks
New and evolving responsibilities for this role:
- Assist patients with toileting and incontinent care.
- Feed patients.
Education & Training
Education Level Distribution
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Technology & Tools
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