The Ultimate Home Health Aide Classes FAQ List
If you’ve been thinking about launching a career as a home health aide (HHA) or just taking home health aide classes, you’re in luck; the Bureau of Labor Statistics lists this as one of the “fastest growing occupations” in the United States.
While many of the jobs on the list require years of expensive training, taking home health aide classes does not require that you spend large amounts of money.
Money, however, is not the only concern for people who are looking to get home health aide training.
That said, let’s take a look at some of the requirements and commitments you will need to be aware of before searching for and beginning your training to work as a HHA.
Prerequisites & Additional Requirements
Although you may be excited about embarking on your journey to becoming a home health aide, you must first make sure that you meet all of the basic requirements.
We’ve already provided you with a list of several prerequisites, but you should be prepared to do your own research since some agencies have additional requirements.
Medicare and Medicaid agencies, for example, must meet more requirements than other agencies, and these requirements can vary from state to state.
How Much Will HHA Classes Cost You?
Because you don’t have to attend a 4-year university in order to receive the necessary training, HHA classes can be rather inexpensive. In fact depending where you live, you can even take home health aide classes for free!
Our site actually offers resources to those of you who are searching for cost-free training. We even go so far as to list specific programs by location for you.
Where Can You Take Home Health Aide Classes?
As previously stated, you don’t have to go to a 4-year university in order to become a home health aide, though that is always an option.
Courses which teach the necessary skills are available at many institutions, including community colleges and vocational schools.
You can even opt to get your HHA training online if on-site classes do not fit into your schedule.
What Will Your Training Consist Of?
If you decide to pursue a career as a home health aide, you have to be prepared to invest time in your training.
The U.S. Code for Public Health mandates that training programs “include a minimum of 75 hours of instruction, with at least 15 hours dedicated to clinical training.”
Because states are allowed to set their own guidelines, however, these federal regulations might just be the tip of the iceberg for you depending on where you live.
In other words, you might find yourself putting in far more than 75 hours of training if you choose this career path. But this is actually a good thing to do for your career!
Not only that, but some states put time constraints on your training, which means that you’ll have to rack up your hours very quickly in some cases. The state of New York, for example, allows trainees up to 2 months to complete their training.
Home Health Aide Training as a Foundation for Other Careers
Even if your ultimate goal is not to become a home health aide, you can always use the training you receive to further your education.
The basic skills you pick up can help in other medical fields, which makes home health aide classes a good starting point for some people.
