Working for Home Heath Aide Agencies

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Home health care is one of the fastest growing fields, as well as trends in health-care with many home health aide agencies currently placing employees within residences across the United States. Many patients prefer to have treatment in the comfort of their own home, and studies have shown many treatments are more effective when a patient is in a comfortable and familiar setting. Home health aides have a number of options when choosing a job, according the bureau of labor statistics, the demand for this profession should see an increase in the number of those employed by 50% between 2008 and 2018. Still with that knowledge of demand and growth, many individuals entering this career do not know here to start.

The job of a home health aide (HHA) can often be thankless work. A typical work day can be demanding, difficult, and often emotionally challenging. Home health aides receive a relatively low salary with averages across the nation generally fitting between $20 000 – $25 000 per year.  Most that work as home health aides, start out working for home health aide agencies. Home health aide agencies have a large number of HHA´s at their disposal,which means they can offer those that require care in their home great flexibility and consistency with the services provided. If a home health aide needs a weekend off or a vacation, the agency will simply send in another person, something that is not as easily doable for those that work as independent HHA´s directly for a family or individual. In this article we will investigate some of the common pros and cons to working with a home health aide agency, or opting for self employment.

Working with Home Health Aide Agencies

The advantages to working with home health aide agencies is providing health aide services, while also being part of a helath care team. In an agency setting options such as educational upgrades, training, and advice are readily available. This can be extremely beneficial to those entering this career, and who possess limited first hand experience. An individual is often given jobs or assignments, and thus have no need to personally go out and find clients. Another benefit to beginning your career with one of the many home health aide agencies, is they often will provide you with training in exchange for a signature on a contract. When an HHA signs online casino a contract, it generally states that they must remain with this employer for a given period of time (usually q year) in exchange for their training being paid for. This works well for both the agency and the individual, as the agency gets a realiable employee in a career that has a high turnover, and the individual does not have to pay out of their own pocket to receive proper training to become a certified home health aide.

The disadvantages that are commonly discussed by home health aides for working with an agency generally focus around the lack of personal flexibility. There are strict rules for what an HHA can do while in the presence of a patient. Often these include such things as not sharing meals with the patient, and only being able to utilize certain hygiene tools that you may personally find to be more effective at completing a job. These may seem like small things, but it can have an effect on those that work in the career, and some enjoy the freedom to make decisions based on their own expertise, not exactly on what a home health agency says. Those that work for agencies sometimes feel like they are not able to truly help, as there job is quite descripted and controlled compared to those that opt for self employment.  Home health care agencies often require those to follow standard rules for liability reasons. Another complaint that is common amongst HHAs is that they often feel like they are being moved from one assignment to another. While this may not be a problem for some or a con at all, as structure is what suits some individuals best, it truly does come down to personal preference.

Self Employment

Working for oneself in this industry can require a lot of planning and organization, as it is for any business owner. In this scenario you truly are the owner of the business, and this may benefit you with tax purposes, as well as policies and freedom. You can generally make the rules with your clients, and discuss with them the way they enjoy certain tasks to be completed. Often those that have spent a longer period of time working in this industry tend to have a preference of being self employed. This definitely offers those that work as HHAs much more freedom than home health aide agencies, but also comes with its own set of unique challenges.

These challenges can include scheduling of yourself. Trying to take care of a sick, or elderly individual while trying to balance a family can prove a challenging task. Setting the rates for what you will charge individuals, and sticking to those rates even when you badly need employment as you may often get low-ball offers. Having to address scheduling conflicts when you are sick, have an emergency or need a vacation. Having the uncertainty of non-guaranteed work and wages unlike those found in the more secure setting provided by home health aide agencies. You may have those that wish to hire you require drug tests, along with criminal background checks. Regardless of whether an you choose to work with one of the home health aide agencies, or self employment, there are definitely pros and cons for both.

If you are considering working as a home health aide, the above can provide some light on different working environments. Those that work as HHAs work closely with sick and elderly individuals, and this can be as challenging of a career to work in as it can be a rewarding career. If you are just beginning in this career your best options are to find suitable HHA training, as well as explore home health aide agencies as a way of receiving free home health aide training.