Home Health Aide Duties, Limitations and Risks

The direct care workforce offers care in a variety of settings such as hospitals, assisted living facilities and homes. Home care workers are a segment of the direct care workforce comprising over four million workers, as estimated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and PHI, a leading authority on the direct care workforce. ^[1] They perform home care jobs that can include – regardless of occupational title – assistance with daily living activities and some clinical tasks under the supervision of a licensed medical professional.

Home care workers can be home health aides, personal care aides or nursing assistants. This article focuses on the definition, profile, responsibilities and limitations of home health aides (HHAs).

What is home health aide?

The 2018 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), the federal standard that federal agencies use to classify workers into occupational categories, defines Home health aides (SOC 31-1121) as following:

Monitor the health status of an individual with disabilities or illness, and address their health-related needs, such as changing bandages, dressing wounds, or administering medication. Work is performed under the direction of offsite or intermittent onsite licensed nursing staff. Provide assistance with routine healthcare tasks or activities of daily living, such as feeding, bathing, toileting, or ambulation. May also help with tasks such as preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, and doing laundry depending on the patient’s abilities.

Related: Home Health Aide Classes, Certification, Training

HHA duties and responsibilities

A home health aide’s duty towards their client can be broadly categorized into the following:

1. Assisting client in personal care and hygiene

Home health aides assist individuals with mobility issues related to age or disability with regular grooming to maintain good hygiene. This includes bathing, eating, getting dressed, toileting and continence.

Hygiene has a significant impact on physical and mental health. Regular bathing and nail trimming prevent infection. It also builds your client’s confidence and prevents discrimination. Being well-groomed is a key aspect of feeling good about themselves, which in turn affects their attitudes towards other family members.

2. Supporting family members

As a caregiver and companion, HHAs allow patients’ family members to carry on with their professional work and routine activities in a stress-free manner. Juggling a full-time job and parent care may be challenging for individuals in today’s fast-paced world. With HHAs attending to their older relatives, other family members can enjoy peace of mind.

3. Ensuring client’s comfortability and rest:

Seniors or disabled individuals often need ongoing assistance to lead a comfortable life. For consistent and regular service, HHAs may be the best option.

Limits of a home health aide’s responsibilities

A home health aide is not a replacement for a nurse, as the former does not require a degree. Given the difference in educational requirements, their roles are not interchangeable.

HHAs are not employed to perform household duties. Although some may assist with light housekeeping – and only if it pertains to the family member they are caring for – they are not a replacement for a house helper.

Is there a certification that HHAs can obtain?

Although HHAs don’t always require certification, they can receive one from the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC). Students must complete 75 hours of training, document 17 skills demonstrating competency, and pass a written exam. ^[2]

HHAs who work for in-home care agencies that receive Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement need a minimum level of training and must either pass a competency evaluation or receive a state certification. Besides these minimum requirements, states may set additional requirements for HHAs working in their jurisdictions.

Protections and risks of a home health aide

HHAs have to contend with certain on-the-job risks. One of them pertains to alleged acts of negligence that causes the client harm. If the client brings a lawsuit against the aide or the employing agency, this is where Professional Liability insurance can assist.

Another type of insurance for home health aides is General Liability insurance that covers slips, falls and accidents affecting people other than the HHA’s client (such as a family member or other care professionals).

Adequate insurance coverage is essential for HHAs to be able to defend themselves in court without out-of-pocket legal expenses. High attorney costs apart, there is also the risk of the judge ruling in favor of the client and awarding them substantial damages. An insurance policy with appropriate limits could prevent financial devastation for the aide or agency.

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