There are an increasing number of Americans aged 65 and older. During the past decade alone, the number of people within this age range has increased by 26%. The average life expectancy of a 65 year old adult has also significantly increased. Current projections indicate that when an adult reaches the age of 65, they are likely to live another 18.6 more years. Since many of these individuals want to live in their own homes for as long as possible, they may require some level of medical or daily living assistance.
Most of the people receiving in-home medical care, for instance, are older than 65. While some of these individuals may be able to take care of their daily living activities, others need help with performing basic tasks. In addition to roughly 96% of these individuals needing some assistance with bathing, 88% may need help to get out of their beds. Other types of activities where help may be needed include dressing, preparing meals, and house cleaning. While it will depend on a person’s physical and mental status, medical monitoring and medication dispensing may also be on this list.
To address the current and future needs of older adults, the home healthcare profession is expanding. Between the years of 2008 to 2018, for example, the demand for these professionals had been projected to increase from roughly 1.7 million to 2.5 million. Given the number of adults living within the United States that are currently approaching the age of 65 or are already 65 or older, it is highly likely that this demand will continue to increase.
There are different classes to take in order to become a home health aide or work within this field in other capacities. Since you would like to help others, you may have been considering home health aide training or nursing assistant classes. If you’ve already completed nursing assistant classes and received your STNA Certification, then you may be exploring other opportunities to expand your skill set. If this is the case, becoming a physical therapist or a delegated nurse may be of interest. There are other types of training and certifications that may be of interest to you. Once you contact a a representative, you can learn more about the home health care field.