5 Reasons to Become a Home Health Aide

Posted On October 6,2015

The daily grind of acting as a caregiver for someone who is aging, ill, or disabled can be very difficult at times. But, just as with every job, the cons of working as a home health aide are far outweighed by the tremendous benefits. It truly is noble work that makes a positive impact on the lives of the patients served. If you feel called to a career in the nursing field, but don’t have a background of medical experience to work from, becoming a State Tested Nursing Assistant and working as a Home Health Nurse may be the perfect way to get started.

If you’re not sure if a job as a Home Health Aide is a noteworthy career to pursue, here are just a few important reasons to reconsider.

1. Feel Wanted in Your Job– Do you currently feel like an unwanted, replaceable employee at your present job?  As a home health aide, you are NOT replaceable. You are a crucial part of their daily routines. For many patients, you are like a family member, friend, personal assistant, AND medical provider all wrapped into one special package. You are irreplaceable. Working as a home health aide is not just a way to pass the time each day; you really do matter to your patients!
2. Help Your Patients Live Independently Longer– For many elderly patients, remaining at home as long as possible is extremely important. This is known as “Aging in Place,” and is made possible, in part, due to the help of Home Health Aides who come by daily to assist patients with some of the daily takes they can’t do on their own. Help with bathing, basic housework, patient health monitoring, and exercise: these are all important tasks that can allow your patients to remain in their homes longer and enjoy independent living as much as possible before needing to move to a residential care facility. For younger patients, this allows them to heal at home in a comfortable environment that can aide in the recovery process.
3. Be an Integral Part of the Complete Healing Process– Yes, there are other doctors, specialists, and nurses that are in charge of many of the key aspects of your patients’ treatment plans. But, remember that a comprehensive treatment plan also involves many small, day-to-day aspects that are crucial to a patient’s recovery process. Is your patient following all prescription dosage plans accurately? Is she moving around as recommended by her doctors? Does he appear emotionally distressed, lonely, or uninterested in his recovery plan? You are the one that can help ensure that the small details of your patient’s daily care plan are taken care of properly.
4. Be a Hero to Your Patients’ Families- Caring for an elderly parent, ill child, or disabled loved one is often a tiring, sometimes impossible task for family members trying to balance everything. It can be exhausting trying to juggle personal lives and jobs with the daily needs of a loved one. Your work as a Home Health Aide can free up family members so that they aren’t burdened with the 24/7 task of caregiving.
5. Training is Fast– Getting the education you need to start a new career can be intimidating. Years of schooling, tests, lab work, and paper writing often deter many from pursuing a higher education. But, training to become an STNA can be completed in just a few weeks. Then, you’ll have the information you need to take the State of Ohio certification exam. You’ll be able to get started in your new career quicker than you realized!

Beginning a career as a Home Health Aide is as simple as receiving the training you need to become certified as an STNA. Athena Career Academy can help. In just a few short weeks, you can get the education you need to begin working in a challenging and fulfilling career that can help you lay a foundation in the medical field for the rest of your professional career. Call 419-329-4075 today or fill out an online form to learn how.