Home Health Aide

Working as a home health aide is not about my feelings; it is about my ward's and his or her family's feelings. There is nothing personal about this. If a patient tries to make me feel unwelcome, I usually just shrug it off as a work hazard. Clearly, the patient needs help and I have been hired to help him. There is no personal element here.

Don't assume anything about a candidate. This question provides another opportunity to speak frankly about your parent's needs and get a sense of the candidate's true level of understanding and professionalism.

I am a compassionate and friendly person. After completing high school I went to a vocational coaching center and got certified as a Home Health Aide. I have been providing high quality home health care at various institutes and residential facilities for the past 6 years successfully.

You want to determine if (a) the candidate truly grasps the reality of your parent's condition or issues, and (b) he or she has the necessary experience to draw upon. This is where you learn if she truly understands the job that has to be done. An experienced health care worker will be willing and able to discuss the issues. Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions and find out specific details.

Most of the patients that I have worked with have been dementia sufferers. Initially, I felt that looking after people with dementia is more challenging than I want my work to be. Now, I feel that there are very few people who can handle such patients effectively and I find the challenge very intriguing.

Provide an answer showing your passion to work in the health care field but with your own personal touch. Say something like, "I have known since I was a child that I wanted to work in a job where I could truly help others and know that I want to enter the health care industry in some way. When I was in high school, my grandmother became too ill for us to care for her on our own. My family hired a home health agency to provide nursing care for her. Now my grandmother is doing very well and I truly believe a lot of that is because she had such wonderful nurses. I decided to become a CNA because I would like to help others the way those lovely ladies helped my own grandmother."

My most rewarding at home -patient -care experience was when my patient told me she always looked forward to my coming to work.

I would stay and continue my work even if my shift has ended. Care giving is all about sensitivity. I would call to find out why my replacement hasn't arrived but will never leave my ward unattended.

If the answer is "yes," ask that the candidate bring a copy of his current certification to the interview. A state certification is evidence that the candidate was specially trained and also demonstrated a level of competency in the treatment for older adults. Aides are taught how to prevent skin breakdown (bed sores) for non-ambulatory patients, change bed linens while the patient is still in the bed and bathe a bedridden individual.

You'll need to adapt this question depending on your loved one's state of mind, but it can cover such things as anger, silence, sadness, moodiness, and memory problems. (Obviously, you'll probably want to ask this particular question without your loved one present.) Laying this out before hiring someone is a win-win for you and job applicants. You can get a sense of how they'll be with your loved one, and they'll get a sense of interpersonal skills required for the job.

I am fully aware of the HIPPA guidelines regarding patient's dignity and I ensure the same by allowing for privacy and maintaining client confidentiality at all times.

This question is reserved for the person who meets your requirements. Ask for at least three - two professional and one personal. When they are provided, call. When you make contact, tell the person exactly why you want to hire the worker. Assure the individual you contact that anything he or she says will be kept confidential. Regardless of how you feel about the candidate (impressed, excited, etc.), you must follow up and check references. It could make the difference between finding a good, healthy situation and one wrought with problems.

Start with a broad question that encompasses more than in-home health work to give you a general sense of the person. Try to identify patterns or trends that show experience in caregiving, companionship, and working with people, even if it isn't specifically with older adults. Look for experience that indicates an ability to work independently, without close supervision.

Open up the floor and encourage a dialogue.

Yes, I find the best way is to take a step back from the situation and decide what actions or steps will result in a positive outcome.

I have mostly worked with old people having Alzheimer's, paralysis, physical disabilities, dementia, depression, epilepsy and the like.

You're looking for someone who enjoys working with the elderly, or a caring, sociable, and nurturing person.