How to Become a Home Health Aide in Philadelphia

There aren’t many professions out there that give you the sense of satisfaction you get from being a home health aide. Caring for people that are most in need is both a job and a passion, and for many people, it’s the starting point into a long and fulfilling career! For those that are already caring for their elderly relatives or loved ones, training as a home health aide could mean that you get paid for caring for your relatives. If you’re thinking of a career as a home health aide or if you would like to get paid for caring for your loved one, continue reading below to find out all the key details!

What do home health aides do?

Home health aides provide one to one assistance services for those who need extra help with everyday tasks. The tasks include bath and shower assistance; hair, oral, nail and foot care; medication assistance; cooking, feeding, and preparation assistance; washing and housecleaning assistance; repositioning assistance and emptying urinary and ostomy bags. The range of jobs that HHAs need to complete means that there’s never a dull moment! For many, the qualification to become an HHA is the first step on a long and fruitful career in care and health services.

What are the requirements?

To undergo HHA training in Pennsylvania, you are required to undertake a minimum of 75 hours of training which must include at least 16 hours of clinical instruction. On top of this, you’re required to complete 12 hours of continuing education training for every 12 months that you’re an HHA. The training will include all the necessary care techniques you need to be a fully qualified HHA including assistance training, medication assistance training, washing procedure training, and housekeeping requirements to good cleanliness. Once the training is complete, you will have to undergo a test that covers all of the main elements necessary to gain your qualification. Before you decide on a training program, you need to ensure that the course you’re thinking of is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Health!

A senior woman in wheelchair with a health visitor at home at Christmas time.

Other routes to becoming an HHA

Other than taking the route of an HHA program, there are two other ways to become a fully fledged HHA. The first is through the completion of the nurse aide certification and training. This certification is often sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and is the first step on the road to becoming a qualified nurse so is a great option for those who want to make a career in healthcare. The other option is to complete a competency test developed by the health care agency where you will be working. While this is the quickest and most convenient option, it is the most restrictive, meaning you are unable to move to another agency without completing their competency test first. However, it may be a good option if you’re looking at becoming an HHA to get paid for looking after a loved one or relative.

If you are looking for a career where you feel the rewards of your hard work and dedication every day, or you want to get paid for the care you provide for your relative or loved one, then you should seriously consider becoming a home health aide! The average wage is $22,000 per year, making it a rewarding opportunity both financially and through the satisfaction of helping those most in need!

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Provide Philadelphia Home Care to Your Loved One in the Comfort of Their Home

Ready to provide caring and capable Home Health to a loved one in the comfort of their very own home? Ameribest Home Care can help you!

Illness, injury, and hospital stays can leave many in need of assistance when completing activities of daily life. And while it’s most comfortable to receive that assistance at home and at the hands of someone you genuinely love and trust, no one wants to feel like they’ve become a burden to their children, relatives, or friends. That’s where AmeriBest Home Care comes in. We provide you with the appropriate training and skill set so that you can become a knowledgeable, capable, and caring personal caregiver to the friend or loved one who is in need. That means your mother, father, aunt or uncle, close friend or distant relative can receive quality and thoughtful care from you in the comfort of their very own home! Our home and community-based services (or Home Waiver Services) are available to those covered by MA (Medicaid/ medical assistance), and enable your loved one to remain in a community setting rather than being admitted to a nursing facility while they receive care from someone they love and trust the most: you!

Smiling elderly man in a wheelchair and friendly caregiver in a

 

Well-Paying Philadelphia Home Care That You Provide to Your Loved One… Tell Me More!

Once you’ve been thoroughly trained by the skilled and capable staff at Ameribest Home Care, you’ll be fully equipped and able to assist your close friend or loved one in all aspects of their regular daily living. The two of you can decide together what their plan of care will look like. Services can include:

  • Meal preparation
  • Light housekeeping – to meet individual health needs
  • Shopping
  • Laundry
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Medication management
  • Appointment scheduling
  • Securing transportation
  • Supervised walks
  • And so much more…

With care in the comfort of their own home that’s provided by someone they genuinely love and trust, your loved one’s health care plan will truly cater to their individual needs. So, how does your loved one qualify? Eligibility requirements are minimal; all they need to qualify is:

  • A medically-verified long-term condition or disability (where long-term means a condition that will last for longer than 6 months)
  • A monthly income of less than $2,163
  • No more than $8,000 of countable resources (including savings, checking, stocks, bonds, and other liquid assets or investments)

Further, if your loved one owns their own home, please mention this fact to our staff: it may affect their application for the waiver program.

So, are you ready for the person you love the most to receive professional, thoughtful, and well-qualified home care from an utterly caring caregiver that they know and trust? Call Ameribest Home Care, or fill out an inquiry form at our website www.ameribesthomecare.com, to find out how you and a loved one can partner together in pursuit of their healthy, guided living. It’s time for health care that’s truly comfortable, provided in the familiar space of home, and at the hands of a trusted loved one. At Ameribest Home Care, we’re answering the call for the comfortable home health care your loved one deserves.