There are many reasons why you might want to consider hiring home health aides. Some of them include the elderly, disabled, and those with special needs such as those with dementia. Other people may find them to be a wise investment because they provide the much needed supervision in their often long and complex relationships with their caregivers. However, before you hire home health aides for these purposes, you need to take some things into consideration first. Not all of them are created equal, so here are a few things to consider before deciding on who to hire:
Experience: Although these home health aides are mostly trained to assist the elderly, there are some who have some training in other fields as well. For instance, there are home health aides who specialize in mental health or emotional health, for example. There are also those who have training in medical or legal issues such as DUI or criminal law, and others who have no formal training whatsoever in the health professions. When hiring home health aides, make sure that they have at least a year of experience in a professional environment where they can still be successful.
Certification: Just like any occupation, home health aides require certification from legitimate associations or employers in order to ensure the quality of their work. You should check out the credentials of various associations in order to find out which ones you should choose. The National Home Health Care Association and the American Association of Housecall Assistants are two of the most prominent organizations in this field. The important thing is to look for accreditation when choosing a home health aide.
Job skills: It is also important to consider the job skills of home health aides before hiring them. Most home health aides have experience in the field, but if they lack the necessary skills for the position, it can be very detrimental to the patient’s well-being. Make sure that you choose home health aides who have more than just the necessary medical training.
References. Although you can ask: for references from the home health aides themselves, it is always better to get at least two or three references. This way, you can compare their experiences and assess which one would benefit your patient’s situation the most. Of course, make sure that these references are from actual patients whom the aides have served before. If possible, try calling the office staff of the home health aides to confirm whether the person giving the reference is the actual employee of the agency. Fees. Although you might think that hiring home health aides is just a cost of hiring more people for your home, there can be a lot of hidden fees involved.
Check with the agency regarding their fees before hiring them.
