A home health aide (HHA) is a trained, certified caregiver who provides personal care, health monitoring, and assistance with daily living for elderly, chronically ill, or disabled individuals in their own home. Unlike personal care aides, HHAs complete a state-approved training program and work under the supervision of a nurse or physical therapist.
If you or a loved one lives with a disability or chronic illness, a home health aide may play a valuable role in your care team. Families across NYC rely on HHAs for support with daily living needs. This guide will explore the role of an HHA, New York State HHA training requirements, how to cover the cost of a home health aide, and how to find a certified home health aide in NYC.
What Does a Home Health Aide Actually Do?
A home health aide helps older adults, people with disabilities, and people living with chronic illnesses who need support with daily life at home. Depending on the patient’s care plan, an HHA may provide personal care, perform certain health-related tasks, and assist with everyday activities around the home.
For example, an older adult living alone might have an aide arrive every morning to help them wash up, get dressed, and prepare breakfast. The aide may also check their temperature or pulse if those tasks are included in the care plan. Later, they might help prepare lunch, change bedsheets, and help the patient move safely from a chair to the bathroom.
The amount of help a patient receives can vary considerably. Some people have an aide for a few hours each week, while others receive assistance every day. A patient’s care plan outlines the support they need, but when services are paid for through insurance or government benefits, the approved services and hours also determine what care is covered.
What Personal Care Support Do They Provide?
Home health aides provide hands-on help with activities of daily living, or the basic tasks a person needs to get through the day. Specific home health aide duties are outlined in the patient’s plan of care and may include:
- Bathing, grooming, and getting dressed
- Using the bathroom and maintaining personal hygiene
- Eating and drinking
- Walking and moving safely around the home
- Getting in and out of a bed or chair
Not every patient requires the same level of assistance. For example, someone recovering from surgery might need help getting in and out of bed, while an older adult with limited mobility may need daily support with bathing and dressing. The aide’s responsibilities depend on the patient’s needs and the tasks included in their care plan.
How Do They Monitor a Client’s Health?
Monitoring vital signs and changes in a patient’s condition is a key part of a home health aide’s duties. This is especially important for patients recovering from illness or surgery who need support at home but don’t require skilled nursing care. Following the patient’s plan of care, an HHA may:
- Take and record vital signs, such as temperature, pulse, and breathing rate
- Watch for changes in mobility, appetite, skin, or behavior
- Remind patients to take prescribed medications, as permitted by their care plan
- Perform health-related tasks they are trained and permitted to provide
- Report changes or concerns to the supervising healthcare professional
An HHA’s observations can be valuable because changes in someone’s health aren’t always obvious during a short doctor’s appointment. A patient might start eating less, become unsteady while walking, or seem unusually tired. Because the aide sees how the patient manages everyday activities, they may notice these differences and bring them to the supervising nurse’s attention.
Although HHAs receive training to perform certain health-related tasks, they cannot diagnose medical conditions, administer injections or fill pillboxes, change a patient’s treatment plan, or perform tasks outside their permitted scope. They also typically cannot administer medications themselves.
If your loved one cannot manage their medication without hands-on help, tell the agency before care begins. A supervising nurse can determine what assistance is appropriate and whether additional nursing services are needed.
Do They Help with Housekeeping and Daily Living Tasks?
Home health aides also help with everyday tasks that make it easier for a patient to remain at home. Depending on the care plan, this may include preparing meals, doing the patient’s laundry, changing linens, and light housekeeping related to their care.
Because an HHA spends time with the patient while providing this support, they may also offer conversation and social interaction throughout the day. However, their role is centered on the patient’s care needs rather than companionship alone.
What’s the Difference Between a Home Health Aide and a Personal Care Aide?
Wondering how an HHA differs from a PCA? Personal care aides provide non-medical support with personal care and daily living. In contrast, home health aides provide many of these same services along with certain health-related tasks and monitoring. HHAs receive additional training for these responsibilities and work under professional supervision.
Another caregiver role you may come across is a certified nursing assistant (CNA). CNAs typically work in hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers, where they help patients bathe and move between beds and wheelchairs. They also check vital signs and report changes to nursing staff. While their duties overlap with those of home health aides, CNAs generally work in facilities rather than providing care in someone’s home.
| Role | Scope of Duties | Typical Training | Supervision | Who Might Need One |
| Home Health Aide (HHA) | Personal care + basic health monitoring, under supervision | 75+ hours, state-approved program + competency exam | RN or authorized professional | Older adults, people with chronic illnesses, or those recovering from surgery who require personal care and health monitoring at home |
| Personal Care Aide (PCA) | Non-medical personal care and household tasks | Varies by state, generally lighter than HHA | Agency oversight as required | Older adults who need help with personal care, mobility, household tasks, or companionship — without requiring health monitoring. |
| Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) | Clinical support tasks, typically in facility settings | Longer clinical training, higher pay ceiling | Licensed nursing staff | Patients in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, or other healthcare facilities |
When comparing a home health aide vs. personal care aide, the right caregiver depends on your loved one’s needs. If they mainly need help with bathing, meals, household tasks, or getting around their home, PCA services may be appropriate. If they also require basic health monitoring, an HHA may be a better fit.
Families don’t have to make that distinction on their own. An assessment can help identify which services are appropriate based on the person’s health, daily routines, and care needs. The services available may also depend on the patient’s insurance coverage or Medicaid authorization.
How Do You Become a Certified Home Health Aide?
Becoming a home health aide is one of the fastest ways to enter healthcare without a college degree. In New York, you can complete the required training in weeks, depending on the program’s schedule.
What Training and Certification Are Required?
New York State requires home health aides to complete at least 75 hours of approved training, including classroom instruction and supervised practical experience.¹ The process involves:
- Enrolling in a state-approved program that teaches personal care, patient safety, infection prevention, and basic health-related tasks.²
- Passing a competency evaluation to demonstrate the required knowledge and practical skills.
- Receiving an HHA certificate after completing the program requirements and getting listed in the NYS Home Care Worker Registry.
Americare offers a state-approved free training program for people interested in becoming certified home health aides in New York.
Who Supervises a Home Health Aide?
Home health aides work under the supervision of a registered nurse or other authorized healthcare professional, depending on the care setting. The supervisor oversees the patient’s care plan, reviews the aide’s work, and determines whether the patient’s condition requires care adjustments. They also conduct regular in-person supervisory visits, typically every 2-4 weeks.
HHAs report concerns to their supervisor rather than making medical decisions independently. The frequency of supervisory visits depends on the care setting and applicable requirements.
How Much Does a Home Health Aide Cost, and Does Medicare Cover It?
HHA services in NYC typically cost $25-40 per hour. However, the number of care hours makes the biggest difference in a family’s monthly expenses. For example, 10 hours per week at $25-40 per hour would cost about $1,000-1,600 over four weeks, while 40 hours per week would cost about $4,000-6,400.
Some families may qualify for government benefits that reduce their out-of-pocket costs:
- Medicare may cover part-time or intermittent home health aide services when a patient is homebound, needs qualifying skilled nursing or therapy, and meets other Medicare home health requirements.³ It does not cover an aide when personal care is the only service needed.
- Medicaid may cover longer-term home health aide services for eligible New Yorkers, including through Managed Long Term Care. Eligibility and approved care hours depend on the individual’s circumstances and assessment.
Families who don’t qualify for coverage may need to pay privately or use eligible long-term care insurance benefits. Before arranging care, ask the agency to verify coverage and explain any out-of-pocket costs. If Medicaid or another insurance plan is paying for care, confirm how many hours have been authorized and whether additional hours would need separate approval.
How Do You Find and Hire a Home Health Aide in NYC?
You want the best for your loved one. Finding the right HHA can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re arranging care for the first time.
Maybe your mother broke her leg after a fall and now needs help getting dressed and moving around her Queens apartment. Or, your father is living with early-stage dementia and has started forgetting to eat lunch or take his medication. You worry about how they’re managing while you’re at work, but bringing someone new into the home is a big decision.
For many NYC families, choosing a home health aide goes beyond checking qualifications. You want someone who understands your loved one’s daily routines, respects their preferences, and speaks a language they feel comfortable using.
When searching for a home health aide in NYC, start by listing licensed home care agencies in your borough. From there, you can reach out and ask about:
- Qualifications: Are aides certified, experienced, and background-checked?
- Caregiver matching: How does the agency match aides based on care needs, language, and personal preferences?
- Payment options: Does the agency accept your loved one’s insurance, and are there any out-of-pocket costs?
- Availability: How soon can care begin, and are there any assessments or approvals required first?
How Do You Start a Career as a Home Health Aide with Americare?
Starting a career as a home health aide in New York is more accessible than many people realize. You don’t need a college degree or previous healthcare experience to enroll in HHA training. With a state-approved program, you can learn the skills needed to become certified in weeks, depending on the training schedule.
It’s also a field with growing demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects home health and personal care aide employment to grow 17% between 2024 and 2034.⁴ Pay varies by employer and region. CNAs typically earn somewhat more than home health aides because of their additional clinical training, but HHA certification takes less time to complete.
Whether you’re entering healthcare for the first time or looking for a career change, Americare can help you get started. Our free training program prepares eligible applicants for HHA certification, with opportunities to interview for a position after completing training.
Learn more about careers as a home health aide with Americare.
FAQs
What will a home health aide do for my loved one?
Personal care like bathing and dressing, basic health monitoring like vital signs, light housekeeping, and reporting changes to a supervising nurse.
Who gets paid more, an HHA or a CNA?
Pay varies by state and employer; CNAs typically earn somewhat more due to additional clinical training, though both roles vary widely by agency and region.
How do I become a certified home health aide in New York?
Complete a state-approved training program (typically 75+ hours) and pass a standardized competency exam.
Does Medicare pay for a home health aide?
Medicare covers home health aide services only when tied to a physician-ordered skilled care plan, not for standalpone personal care. Medicaid and private pay are the more common routes for non-medical HHA support.
What’s the difference between a home health aide and a personal care aide?
HHAs are certified and trained to assist with basic health monitoring under supervision; PCAs focus on non-medical personal care and household tasks.
Resources
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- New York State Department of Health. (n.d.). Home care—Information for health care professionals. https://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/home_care/professional.htm
- New York State Education Department. (n.d.). Home health aide. https://www.nysed.gov/career-technical-education/home-health-aide
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2025, June 12). Medicare benefits and long-term care. https://www.va.gov/geriatrics/pages/medicare_benefits_and_long_term_care.asp
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026, August 27). Home health and personal care aides. Occupational Outlook Handbook. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home-health-aides-and-personal-care-aides.htm