Home Health Aides

What Does a Home Health Aides Do?

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.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• 1Maintain records of patient care, condition, progress, or problems to report and discuss observations with supervisor or case manager.
• 2Provide patients with help moving in and out of beds, baths, wheelchairs, or automobiles and with dressing and grooming.
• 3Bathe patients.
• 4Care for patients by changing bed linens, washing and ironing laundry, cleaning, or assisting with their personal care.
• 5Entertain, converse with, or read aloud to patients to keep them mentally healthy and alert.
• 6Plan, purchase, prepare, or serve meals to patients or other family members, according to prescribed diets.
• 7Check patients' pulse, temperature, and respiration.
• 8Provide 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.

Required Skills

• Active Listening
• AIGHD OASIS
• FaceTime
• Linux
• Mi-Co software
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Exchange
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint