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Working Conditions

Home Health Aides work in patients’ homes where other family members may live. They also work in hospice settings caring for patients who are dying.

They need to have the ability to deal calmly and good-naturedly with patients who may be in pain, uncooperative, or depressed. In addition, Aides sometimes have unpleasant duties such as emptying bedpans, collecting urine or stool specimens, and changing soiled linens. Home Health Aides may go to the same patient’s home for months or even years. However, most Aides work with a number of different patients, each job lasting a few hours, days, or weeks. They may spend a good portion of the work day traveling from one patient to another. Mechanical lifting devices are seldom available in patients’ homes, and Home Health Aides can sustain injuries resulting from positioning patients. They need a valid California driver’s license and usually need access to a car.

Home Health Aides may work full-time, part-time, or on-call, depending on patient needs. Full-time certified Home Health Aides normally visit five or six patients a day and spend about one to two hours with each patient per visit. Many agencies hire only on-call, hourly workers with no extra benefits except for paid mileage. Other agencies hire Home Health Aides on a full-time or part-time basis and with a guaranteed minimum number of hours. Evening, weekend, and holiday work is common.

The occupation is generally non-union.

Will This Job Fit Me?

Prospective Aides should first decide if this is the kind of work they want to do. Job satisfaction and willingness to stay on the job usually comes from doing work that holds one's interest. People who like Home Health Aide work usually have a social interest. This means they truly like to help others, talk to them, teach them how to do things, and provide services.

What Wages and Benefits Can I Expect?

Wages

The median wage in 2020 for Home Health Aides in California is $0 annually. The median is the point at which half of the workers earn more and half earn less.

Benefits

Depending on the hiring agency, benefits for full-time workers usually include vacation, sick leave, and medical and dental insurance. Some employers also pay for vision, life insurance, and retirement plans.

What is the Job Outlook?

The outlook for Home Health Aides is excellent. With more people living longer, more Californians are living with disability and/or illness. Most people needing care would prefer being cared for in their home rather than a nursing home or hospital, leading to more jobs for Home Health Aides.

This occupation will grow much faster than average compared with all occupations in California. This high rate of growth is expected to continue into the foreseeable future. The occupation provides good opportunities for job seekers who want a short training period and for those who want part-time or temporary work.

Projections of Employment

In California, the number of Home Health Aides is expected to grow much faster than average growth rate for all occupations. Jobs for Home Health Aides are expected to increase by 41.0 percent, or 10,900 jobs between 2016 and 2026.

How Do I Qualify?

Education, Training, and Other Requirements

A high school diploma is not required to work as a Home Health Aide. In general, Home Health Aides must take classroom and clinical training approved by the Department of Health Services, Aide and Technician Certification Section (ATCS). Course content includes basic nutrition, meal planning and cooking, home cleaning tasks, and ways for bathing, turning, and moving the patient. Home Health Aides also learn to deal with patients’ emotional problems caused by illness or aging and learn something about behavior, particularly in elderly patients.

Health care agencies that employ Home Health Aides must give them at least 12 hours of in-service training and do a performance review each year. Home Health Aides are required to renew their certification every two years.

Experience

There are no experience requirements for Home Health Aides. However, most employers prefer applicants who have experience in this occupation or a related field.

Early Career Planning

High school classes that might help pepare one for a job in this field includes domestic arts, strength training, English and a foreign language would be good preparation for a career in this field.

Apprenticeship and Work Study Programs

Adult education programs and regional occupational programs (ROP) in many local school districts give Home Health Aide training. In addition, some private career schools and colleges train for this occupation. The local EDD One-Stop Career Center can help the job seeker find training.

Licensing and Certification

Contact the agency that issues the license for additional information. Click on the license title below for details.

• Home Health Aide Certification at www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/OccGuides/LicenseDetail.aspx?LicID=246

To work in California, Home Health Aides need a certificate issued by the California Department of Health Services (DHS).

Applicants need:

• To be 16 years of age or older.
• A report that gives medical history and states that the applicant can do the work without harm to self, patients and family members, or visitors.
• A physical examination stating that the applicant has no health condition that would create a hazard to him/her, fellow employees, or patients.
• Results of a tuberculosis skin test.
• No felony or certain misdemeanor convictions. However, an applicant who has a Certificate of Rehabilitation or Dismissal from the court where the conviction happened can be certified.
• An application, fingerprint records, and fees to the Aide and Technician Certification Section (ATCS) of the DHS.
• 120 hours of approved training. Training includes 65 hours of classroom and 55 hours of clinical training in basic nursing and home health topics. Nurse assistants can be certified by taking supplemental training.
  

Where Can I Find Training?

There are two ways to search for training information at www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/resources/training-and-apprenticeships.html

• Search by Field of Study to find what programs are available and what schools offer those programs. You may use keywords such as: Home Health Aide and Health Aide.
• Search by Training Provider to find schools by name, type of school, or location.

Contact the schools you are interested in to learn about the classes available, tuition and fees, and any prerequisite course work.

Where Would I Work?

Most Home Health Aides work in patients homes. Some work in residential care facilites, nursing homes, and hospitals. Most Aides find work with the help of agencies. The largest industries employing Home Health Aides are as follows:

Finding a Job

Home health agencies and hospice programs hire Home Health Aides. Recent graduates can apply at their school for job placement. Many go to work for the agency where they did clinical on-the-job training. They should also apply at a local Visiting Nurses Association of America. Direct application to employers remains one of the most effective job search methods.  Online job opening systems include JobCentral at www.jobcentral.com and CalJOBS^SM at www.caljobs.ca.gov.

To find your nearest One-Stop Career Center, go to Service Locator. View the helpful job search tips for more resources. (requires Adobe Reader).

Yellow Page Headings

You can focus your local job search by checking employers listed online or in your local telephone directory. Below are some suggested headings where you might find employers of Home Health Aides.

• Assisted Living Facilities
• Home Health Services
• Hospices
• Nurses and Nurse Registries

Find Possible Employers

To locate a list of employers in your area, use "Find Employers" on the LaborMarketInfo Web site at http://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/aspdotnet/databrowsing/empMain.aspx?menuChoice=emp

• Select the search for employers by occupation.
• Select a geographic area.
• Search for an occupation by keyword, occupation, or category.
• Select one of the top industries that employ the occupation.
• This will give you a list of employers in that industry in your area.
• Click on "View Filter Selections" to limit your list to specific cities or employer size.
• Click on an employer for the street address, telephone number, size of business, Web site, etc.
• Contact the employer for possible employment.

Where Could This Job Lead?

With more training, Home Health Aides can become Medical Assistants, Licensed Vocational Nurses, or Registered Nurses.

Related Occupations

Below is a list of occupations related to Home Health Aides.

• Childcare Workers (SOC 39-9011)
• Flight Attendants (SOC 53-2031)
• Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants* (SOC 31-1012)
• Personal Care Aides (SOC 39-9021)

Other Sources

• National Association for Home Care & Hospice
       www.nahc.org
• Department of Health Services Licensing and Certification
       www.dhs.ca.gov/lnc/cert

These links are provided for your convenience and do not constitute an endorsement by EDD.

For the Career Professional

The following codes are provided to assist counselors, job placement workers, or other career professionals.

Printed on Saturday, July 04, 2020