Home health aides held about 831,800 jobs in 2018. The largest employers of home health aides were as follows:
| Home healthcare services | 54% |
| Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities | 19 |
| Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly | 8 |
| Residential intellectual and developmental disability facilities | 5 |
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) | 2 |
Personal care aides held about 2.4 million jobs in 2018. The largest employers of personal care aides were as follows:
| Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities | 50% |
| Home healthcare services | 15 |
| Residential intellectual and developmental disability facilities | 9 |
| Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly | 7 |
| Private households | 4 |
Most home health aides and personal care aides work in clients’ homes; others work in small group homes or larger care communities. Some visit four or five clients in the same day, and others only work with one client all day—in some cases staying with one client on a long-term basis. They may work with other aides in shifts so that the client always has an aide. They help people in hospices and day services programs, and may travel as they also help people with disabilities go to work and stay engaged in their communities.
Injuries and Illnesses
Work as a home health or personal care aide can be physically and emotionally demanding. Because they often move clients into and out of bed or help with standing or walking, aides must use proper lifting techniques to guard against back injury.
In addition, aides frequently work with clients who have cognitive impairments or mental health issues and who may display difficult or violent behaviors. Aides also face hazards from minor infections and exposure to communicable diseases but can lessen their chance of infection by following proper procedures.
Work Schedules
Most aides work full-time. They may work evening and weekend hours, depending on their clients’ needs.
Home health aides and personal care aides typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, though some positions do not require it. Those working in certified home health or hospice agencies must complete formal training and pass a standardized test.
Education
Home health aides and personal care aides typically need a high school diploma or equivalent, though some positions do not require it. There are also postsecondary nondegree award programs at community colleges and vocational schools.
Training
Home health aides and personal care aides may be trained in housekeeping tasks, such as cooking for clients who have special dietary needs. Aides may learn basic safety techniques, including how to respond in an emergency. Specific training may be needed for certification if state certification is required.
Training may be done on the job or through specialized programs. Training typically includes learning about personal hygiene, reading and recording vital signs, infection control, and basic nutrition.
In addition, clients have their own preferences, and aides may need time to become comfortable working with them.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Aides who work for agencies that receive reimbursement from Medicare or Medicaid must get a minimum level of training and pass a competency evaluation to be certified. Some states allow aides to take a competency exam in order to become certified without taking any training.
Additional requirements for certification vary by state. In some states, the only requirement for employment is on-the-job training, which employers generally provide. Other states require formal training, which is available from community colleges, vocational schools, elder care programs, and home healthcare agencies. In addition, states may conduct background checks on prospective aides. For specific state requirements, contact the state’s health board.
Aides also may be required to obtain CPR certification.
Home health aides typically have an interest in the Building and Helping interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Building interest area indicates a focus on working with tools and machines, and making or fixing practical things. The Helping interest area indicates a focus on assisting, serving, counseling, or teaching other people.
If you are not sure whether you have a Building or Helping interest which might fit with a career as a home health aide, you can take a career test to measure your interests.
Home health aides should also possess the following specific qualities:
Detail oriented. Home health aides must follow specific rules and protocols to help take care of clients.
Interpersonal skills. Home health aides must work closely with their clients. Sometimes, clients are in extreme pain or mental stress, and aides must be sensitive to their emotions. Aides must be cheerful, compassionate, and emotionally stable. They must enjoy helping people.
Physical stamina. Home health aides should be comfortable performing physical tasks. They might need to lift or turn clients who have a disability.
Time-management skills. Clients and their families rely on home health aides. Therefore, it is important that aides follow agreed-upon schedules and arrive at their clients’ homes when they are expected.
The median annual wage for home health aides was $24,200 in May 2018. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $19,060, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $32,180.
The median annual wage for personal care aides was $24,020 in May 2018. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18,740, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $31,650.
In May 2018, the median annual wages for home health aides in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) | $25,110 |
| Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly | 24,600 |
| Residential intellectual and developmental disability facilities | 24,230 |
| Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities | 24,160 |
| Home healthcare services | 23,980 |
In May 2018, the median annual wages for personal care aides in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Residential intellectual and developmental disability facilities | $24,520 |
| Continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly | 24,260 |
| Services for the elderly and persons with disabilities | 24,120 |
| Home healthcare services | 22,310 |
Most aides work full-time. They may work evening and weekend hours, depending on their clients’ needs.
Overall employment of home health aides and personal care aides is projected to grow 36 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. As the baby-boom generation ages and the elderly population grows, the demand for the services of home health aides and personal care aides will continue to increase.
Elderly clients and people with disabilities are increasingly relying on home care as an alternative to nursing homes or hospitals. Families may prefer to keep aging family members in their homes rather than in nursing homes or hospitals. Clients who need help with everyday tasks and household chores, rather than medical care, may be able to reduce their medical expenses by staying in or returning to their homes.
Job Prospects
Job prospects for home health aides and personal care aides are excellent. These occupations are large and are projected to add many jobs. In addition, the low pay and high emotional demands may cause many workers to leave this occupation, and they will have to be replaced.
For more information about home health aides and personal care aides, including voluntary credentials for aides, visit
National Association for Home Care & Hospice
Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute