A certified home health aide is a person who provides in-home medical care to ill or injured individuals. This care is basic and is not meant to replace medical care acquired from a doctor or other licensed health care practitioner. The demand for such jobs has increased considerably over the past ten years, and this trend is expected to continue until 2016.

The objective of the type of care mentioned above is to assist individuals to remain in their homes. This scenario is typically preferred by most patients when compared with relocating to a long-term care facility. This allows patients to maintain their independence, as the home health aides can help them to perform their daily living activities.

Certified aides perform a variety of duties. These include checking the patient's vital signs, administering oral medications, assisting the patient to walk or exercise, and helping him or her to bathe and dress. Depending on the laws the state in which the patient lives, some individuals employed in this capacity can also change dressings, perform massages, and operate ventilators.

Home health employees are always supervised by a registered or licensed nurse, or a physician. They cannot treat or diagnose a disease, or provide medical advice. However, they are instructed to report any unusual changes regarding the patient to one of the professionals listed above.

Insurance covers such care for many patients, and therefore it is essential for the aide to maintain records of the services offered. These records will then be used by the agency to ensure that the responsible party is billed. Of course, similar records must also be kept on clients who pay for their own care, as the health agency must maintain a file on each individual to whom they offer services. These records are kept private and patients are entitled to copies outlining the care that was performed at each visit.

To become certified, aides must typically complete seventy-five hours of field training and pass a written exam. The skills one must have to complete this training includes the ability to help lift patients, a thorough understanding of how to provide personal care, and the ability to communicate effectively with the agency for which he or she works.

When seeking care for a person who is homebound due to physical disability or illness, it is wise for one to choose a home health agency with care. Most establishments of this kind are trustworthy, but anyone who will have access to a person's home should be screened carefully. This can be accomplished by obtaining licensing information, or checking the background of the various agencies online.

After a certified home health aide is chosen, the person and his or her loved ones should evaluate the employee's performance for 2 to 3 weeks after the regular visits have started. If the aide is performing his or her duties to the family and patient's satisfaction, long-term arrangements can be agreed upon. If not, it may be necessary for the client or his or her family to ask for a different individual. When the aforementioned steps are followed, finding the most suitable professional for the task should not be difficult.