How to Become a Certified Home Health Aide in Brooklyn, New York

Home Health Aides are caregivers who take care of people who need assistance or cannot take care of themselves in their everyday living which is usually in their own home. The need of health care aids is rapidly growing as there is becoming more sick and elderly people in our country that needs others to take care of them. If you feel that you would like to get into this field of caring for the sick and elderly, here are some things you need to know to take the needed steps to start. The job of a home health aid includes various tasks such as taking care of the elderly making sure that they are well-groomed, fed and reminded of their medication, as well as light housekeeping and grocery shopping. Each case is different so once you actually have the job, there will be a care of plan to tell you exactly what needs to be done with that specific patient. First thing you would need is proper training to become certified.

Various places in Brooklyn including agencies that hire are also willing to train. Some will charge you a fee and some will not as long as you work with them after you are through with training. Each place varies as to how much they charge but you will not pay no more than a couple of hundred of dollars for becoming a certified Home Health Aide. Make sure that your place of choice is licenced to train by the state of New York before you begin because there are various phony places that offer to certify, but do not give legit certificates and end up taking your money. The best place to look is at your local newspaper in the employment section you are sure to find a couple of places that have classes available. Many papers such as the Daily News and Caribbean Life are the best places to look because many of these places do not advertise online. Many Supermarkets that have local area newspapers that are free will have many listings. Once you find the place where you will be training. There is the option to train during the days, nights or just weekends depending on your schedule. Home health aide training is very flexible so be sure to know if you can dedicate any of those times around your work or school.

Training can take up to anywhere from 4-6 weeks depending on how often you attend class and most classes lasts about 5-8 hours a day. You will learn how to take the patient's blood pressure and other vitals, what to do in case of emergency and what you can and cannot do for the patient you are caring for. Once you are fully trained you will take a test about everything that you have learned and when you pass, you will then receive your certificate. Now that you are certified you can now start looking to work. Many agencies require that you have a recent physical for them to have on file to make sure that you are okay to work and take care of others. A drug test might be needed, but this is rare.

Once you fill out the required paperwork for the agency, you will need to attend orientation which will welcome you and let you know what to expect according to their terms and policies. As soon as you are done, in most cases they can start you working that same week if not that day. Many agencies in Brooklyn start you off with $8 and you can make anywhere up to $10 an hour. Shifts to work are usually anywhere from two hours to 12 hours and live in, which means that you basically live there for a certain amount of days, usually weekdays or weekends straight, if you choose to do so. Being a caregiver is a wonderful job and taking care of someones loved one is rewarding, so remember to do it with patience as well as tender love and care.