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Family caregiver vs home health aid

The differences between family caregivers and home health aids can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a family caregiver has an average salary of $32,827, which is higher than the $27,249 average annual salary of a home health aid.

The top three skills for a family caregiver include meal preparation, companionship and in-home care. The most important skills for a home health aid are home health, patients, and companionship.

Family caregiver vs home health aid overview

Family CaregiverHome Health Aid
Yearly salary$32,827$27,249
Hourly rate$15.78$13.10
Growth rate36%36%
Number of jobs126,188248,490
Job satisfaction-4.29
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%High School Diploma, 32%
Average age4850
Years of experience--

What does a family caregiver do?

Family caregivers mainly provide care to families operating as health care system extensions. The caregivers perform complicated therapeutic and medical tasks and ensure recipients' compliance with their therapeutic regimens. They serve as home-based coordinators of care and personal care recipient advocates. It is their job to assess the needs of the families. They also prepare a care plan, help with housekeeping, provide companionship, monitor medications, and prepare meals.

What does a home health aid do?

Home health aides provide care and assistance to patients who have chronic illnesses, injuries, disabilities, or age-related challenges inside the patient's home. They monitor the patient's condition and help them in any activity they may need assistance in. They provide support to both the patient and the family to manage the patient's condition. Home health aides care for the patient by providing personal services like bathing and basic grooming, designing nutritional plans, cooking and preparing meals, running errands, maintaining the cleanliness of the home, managing medication intake, and ensuring the home is safe and secure for the patient.

Family caregiver vs home health aid salary

Family caregivers and home health aids have different pay scales, as shown below.

Family CaregiverHome Health Aid
Average salary$32,827$27,249
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $46,000Between $20,000 And $36,000
Highest paying City-Reading, MA
Highest paying state-Massachusetts
Best paying company-St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between family caregiver and home health aid education

There are a few differences between a family caregiver and a home health aid in terms of educational background:

Family CaregiverHome Health Aid
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%High School Diploma, 32%
Most common majorBusinessNursing
Most common college--

Family caregiver vs home health aid demographics

Here are the differences between family caregivers' and home health aids' demographics:

Family CaregiverHome Health Aid
Average age4850
Gender ratioMale, 29.3% Female, 70.7%Male, 13.6% Female, 86.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 8.6% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%Black or African American, 24.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 23.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 35.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage7%5%

Differences between family caregiver and home health aid duties and responsibilities

Family caregiver example responsibilities.

  • Manage all household duties, meals, laundry, groceries, appointments, etc.
  • Be up to date on CPR, first aid and classes.
  • Preform a great knowledge of CPR experience.
  • Assist with ADL's, socialization, and developmental progression.
  • Give daily injections of insulin and attempt to prevent complications of diabetes.
  • Instructed/Advise individuals on issues such as household cleanliness, hygiene, nutrition, and infant care.
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Home health aid example responsibilities.

  • Clean house, cook, run errands, take to doctor appointments
  • Prepare for HIPAA and JCAHO reviews, ensuring require brochures and pamphlets are available to patients in all clinics.
  • Conduct insurance verifications for Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance patients.
  • Perform ADL's, medication administration, pulmonary therapy, daily physiotherapy.
  • Provide physical and emotional support and companionship to senior adults in degenerative loss of memory and/or motor functions.
  • Obtain household supplies and run daily errands.
  • Show more

Family caregiver vs home health aid skills

Common family caregiver skills
  • Meal Preparation, 18%
  • Companionship, 11%
  • In-Home Care, 10%
  • Medical Assistance, 9%
  • Doctor Appointments, 6%
  • Medication Administration, 4%
Common home health aid skills
  • Home Health, 22%
  • Patients, 13%
  • Companionship, 7%
  • Patient Care, 5%
  • HHA, 5%
  • CPR, 4%

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