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What is a home health care and how to become one
Home health care requires you to care for elderly, disabled, or recuperative patients, either in individual homes or in extended-care facilities. Some home health care workers work independently, while home health agencies employ others.
Home health aides who work for agencies get supervised by registered nurses. They keep a record of tasks performed and the condition of patients. Some examples of jobs commonly assigned to home health aides include helping patients get in and out of bed and bathe and performing basic physical therapy exercises. In addition to assisting patients with day-to-day activities and personal care routines, home health aides provide moral and emotional support.
You do not require formal education to become a home health carer. Some form of training is required in most states, especially if hired by an agency that receives Medicare or Medicaid payment. Certification requirements vary by state, though individuals working for patients who receive Medicare reimbursement must meet certain federal guidelines.
According to BLS, those who approach this field end up laying claim to annual earnings at $82,330. The current median pay for home health cares ranges from $81,661 to $117,813 in the U.S. However, this figure can vary significantly depending upon your experience and skills.
What general advice would you give to a Home Health Care?
Dr. Felisa Albert
Senior Instructor, Academic Success Coach, Cambridge College
Because everyone has gifts for the world, a person should take action steps to find out what those are by journaling, creating a vision board, meditating, praying, or brainstorming with those who one is familiar with and, more importantly, who can support the exploratory process in that moment. One must remember to always set goals, reach goals, make new goals, and repeat.
College gives the foundation, but now the real world is going to give the test. Embrace the challenge. Stay current and knowledgeable about the professions of choice. One shouldn't be afraid to ask questions and for help, so find a mentor or coach to help guide in the process. The world owes you nothing; therefore, understand there will be obstacles, so creating action plans are necessary to stay focused and to keep moving with a vision in place.
Avg. Salary $37,683
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 36%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 1.11%
Asian 10.47%
Black or African American 23.99%
Hispanic or Latino 23.41%
Unknown 5.40%
White 35.62%
Genderfemale 84.52%
male 15.48%
Age - 51American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 51Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Home Health Care career paths
Key steps to become a home health care
Explore home health care education requirements
Start to develop specific home health care skills
Skills Percentages Home Health 32.67% Patients 20.93% Social Work 8.19% Patient Care 6.57% Laundry Services 4.05% Complete relevant home health care training and internships
Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New home health cares learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a home health care based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real home health care resumes.Obtain the necessary licensing
Becoming a licensed home health care usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed home health care in most of states. 25 states require home health cares to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.State Education Exam License Url Alaska Degree required Third-party exam required Nurse Aide Arkansas Specific course required Both state and third-party exams required Nursing Assistant (Certified) California Specific course required State exam required Certified Nurse Assistant Colorado Specific course required State exam required Nurse Aide Connecticut Specific course required State exam required Nurses Aide Gain additional home health care certifications
More About CertificationsHome health care certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific home health care certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.
The most common certifications for home health cares include Medical Assistant and Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA).
Research home health care duties and responsibilities
- Manage ventilator settings, suction tracheostomy, tube-feeding assistance.
- Help with translation for medical appointments and overall understanding of patients medical treatments perform by therapists and physicians.
- Assist students with first-aid and CPR when need.
- Assist client with daily operations of ADL's.
Prepare your home health care resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your home health care resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a home health care resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Home Health Care Resume templates
Build a professional Home Health Care resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Home Health Care resume.
Apply for home health care jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a home health care job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Home Health Care Job
Are you a Home Health Care?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average home health care salary
The average Home Health Care salary in the United States is $37,683 per year or $18 per hour. Home health care salaries range between $23,000 and $60,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do home health cares rate their job?
Home Health Care reviews
Very fulfilling and rewarding
Hard work, not enough staff, mandated a lot. Under appreciated!
All the changes with certification and how you can be on the floor of a facility and know not even common sense. How they have hospitality aides, hca, and people going to start a free class. Back in the day we were called glorified babysitters I never agreed until we have just a warm body with no license(s) whom can't do anything even as small as getting ice waters. I've worked hard tobe where i am and these people take a computer class and pass we would call that our continuing education hrs but what do i know after 23 yrs. I once REALLY loved my job and still do but it's almost like being in grade school with people who have phone's lol It bothers me that many new or non licensed bodies have the audacity to come in these facilities and act like the residents are on their time! We are in their home to help provide ADL's amongst other things like them still trying to be & keep their independence. The ridiculous amount they have to spend to have the care they get from some people makes me wanna die young!! Our system sucks unless its the government making the dollar. I just wish they'd spend an 8 hr shift in these facilities before signing off on some rules & regs. Im not political by any means but those who take the dollar should get to live and experience a day of what our elderly lived ones are forced to experience daily , monthly, yearly! In fact the state hasn't even done the 18 month annual expectation in over 2 yrs at the place im contracted at 👍way to keep up on stuff and by stuff I mean our elderly living human beans. People who deserve to be served on gold plates or at least gave better food then what they serve daycares and if not that at least for it to be at high minimum warm food !! In 23 yrs of being a CNA I can only try to write a book to get out all the things I've seen ,heard. & witnessed in the years.
Helping client Maintain themselves in their own home until the end of life.my goal
Working behind a caregiver that’s not well trained
Updated January 8, 2025
