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Senior caregiver vs home health aid

The differences between senior caregivers and home health aids can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior caregiver has an average salary of $28,771, which is higher than the $27,249 average annual salary of a home health aid.

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

Senior caregiver vs home health aid overview

Senior CaregiverHome Health Aid
Yearly salary$28,771$27,249
Hourly rate$13.83$13.10
Growth rate36%36%
Number of jobs67,227248,490
Job satisfaction24.29
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 37%High School Diploma, 32%
Average age4850
Years of experience--

What does a senior caregiver do?

A senior caregiver is responsible for supporting the elderly, disabled patients, and other persons with illnesses or has difficulty managing themselves alone and assist them with their daily activities. Senior caregivers monitor the patients' behaviors, keep records of health conditions, administer medications, and prepare the patients for medical procedures. They also coordinate with the attending physicians and other medical health professionals in developing quality care plans and services for the patients, following the standard procedures and health safety requirements.

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.

Senior caregiver vs home health aid salary

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

Senior CaregiverHome Health Aid
Average salary$28,771$27,249
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $37,000Between $20,000 And $36,000
Highest paying CityPortland, ORReading, MA
Highest paying stateVermontMassachusetts
Best paying companyCARESt. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between senior caregiver and home health aid education

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

Senior CaregiverHome Health Aid
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 37%High School Diploma, 32%
Most common majorBusinessNursing
Most common college--

Senior caregiver vs home health aid demographics

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

Senior CaregiverHome Health Aid
Average age4850
Gender ratioMale, 12.2% Female, 87.8%Male, 13.6% Female, 86.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 8.0% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%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 senior caregiver and home health aid duties and responsibilities

Senior caregiver example responsibilities.

  • Provide day-to-day assistance to the elderly with ADL needs.
  • Light housekeeping including pet care, empty and sanitize commode.
  • Maintain familiar routine, assist with decision making and pet care.
  • Assist patient with ADL's, by means of cooperative service plans.
  • Care of clients with Alzheimer's, dementia, stroke and post-operative hip replacement surgery.
  • Demonstrate sensitivity and compassion to patient.
  • Show more

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

Senior caregiver vs home health aid skills

Common senior caregiver skills
  • Companionship, 24%
  • Senior Care, 10%
  • In-Home Care, 10%
  • Home Health, 10%
  • Medication Reminders, 6%
  • Meal Prep, 5%
Common home health aid skills
  • Home Health, 22%
  • Patients, 13%
  • Companionship, 7%
  • Patient Care, 5%
  • HHA, 5%
  • CPR, 4%

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