How much does Home Health Aide training cost?

19 Oct How much does Home Health Aide training cost?

Learn about how much a Home Health Aide training program costs. Plus understand steps one can take to obtain their HHA certification and what a Home Health Aide’s duties are.

FEBRUARY 2024 UPDATE: CAREBRIDGE ACADEMY IS NOT OFFERING HOME HEALTH AIDE TRAINING CLASSES AT THIS TIME. CURRENTLY WE OFFER CERTIFIED NURSE AIDE TRAINING CLASSES FOR $1745. PLEASE CALL FOR MORE DETAILS. 

Considering a new career in healthcare? Millions are out of work and job prospects are tough in many fields due to the pandemic. A promising healthcare career may be on the horizon for those looking for job stability, career growth, and a rewarding future.

Home Health Aides are one such field within healthcare seeing a boom in job opportunities. A major benefit of Home Health Aides are that training is accessible, quick, and there are minimal entry requirements to get started.

What does a certified home health aide do?

Home health aides will assist the elderly or other individuals with special needs, including children. These individuals served by HHAs may suffer from chronic illnesses, disabilities or impaired cognitive function with daily activities. Home health aides may assist their clients with daily personal tasks related to hygiene activities. They could also help their clients in getting dressed and other health-related tasks, including giving prescribed medications and monitoring their vital signs. Read more in depth about what HHAs do on a daily basis in our recently released article. 

What other duties does a Home Health Aide perform?

A home health aide is also permitted to perform duties including:

• Light housekeeping, like washing dishes and doing laundry
• Arranging transportation needs such as to doctor visits or for errands
• Planning a client’s schedule and setting appointments for doctor visits
• Shopping for groceries, errands, and cooking meals for a client
• Offering companionship and helping a client remain active socially, physically, and mentally

How much does Home Health Aide training cost?

The cost of Home Health Aide training in Philadelphia, PA at CareBridge Academy costs $595. This includes the cost of all materials and study supplies plus the certification itself. 

How long is the course?

The course runs for a total of two weeks when taken full time. The classes consist of 59 hours of training in the classroom setting plus an additional 16 hours in the lab setting.

Can the courses be done online?

Yes.  A majority of the Home Health Aide class can be completed online. CareBridge Academy has an online offering for 59 of the 75 required total hours to be completed remotely. Students only have to be present for 16 of the 75 required Home Health Aide hours. In other words, they just need to be present for two full 8-hour days in the lab setting. 

How can I get certification as a Home Health Aide?  

To get certified as a home health aide (HHA), prospective home health aides must complete a training program. This is a federal requirement of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These programs may be offered by community colleges, private schools or employers (home healthcare agencies) offering jobs in the field. CareBridge Academy is a renowned HHA training school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

What are the career paths for Home Health Aides (HHAs)?

Home health aides are one of the fastest growing jobs in Philadelphia and in Pennsylvania. With more education and experience, home health aides can move into many other health care and medical job opportunities. As a result, it’s a great entry level career to choose now and for the future of opportunities that it brings. 

We go into detail on the career paths for Home Health Aides here.

Do Home Health Aides (HHAs) Need to be Certified?

Yes. Otherwise, they can only act in other roles such as a caregiver or a Personal Care Aide (PCA). See our comprehensive guide on Home Health Aide certification requirements here.

How much do certified Home Health Aides make? 

Salary, benefits, earnings, and hourly pay

Nationwide, the median annual wages (salary plus other cash compensation) for home health aides is $24,060 per year. This comes out to $11.57 per hour of earnings.

Across the state of Pennsylvania, home health aides see a higher average salary than the nationwide average. In the state, HHAs average $25,810 per year, or $12.41 per hour in earnings and payment. 

Finally, in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas (the tri-state area which includes parts of Delaware and New Jersey as well), the average wage is $26,220, or $12.61 per hour in payment and salary. 

Check out our pay and salary resource guide for Home Health Aides in more detail. 

What HHA jobs are available now?

See our comprehensive hiring guide for Home Health Aides right here. We make it easy to find Home Health Aide jobs across Philadelphia and Pennsylvania with just one click. These include HHA jobs from Indeed, Monster, LinkedIn, Craigslist, and more. As you can see, you will find thousands of Home Health Aide job postings across the state of Pennsylvania.

What is the career outlook and future job prospects for HHAs?

Being a home health aide is an excellent career choice. We go into great detail here where we highlight growing HHA jobs and other fast growing medical roles in Pennsylvania as well. 

Consider these facts that make a career change as a Home Health Aide a solid one.

• Extraordinary job growth.  The growth in jobs in this field isn’t just impressive. It’s actually one of the fastest growing careers in all of America over the next ten years. In fact, it’s projected to grow more than SEVEN times faster than all occupations through 2028, according to the BLS. 
• In addition to job security and growth prospects, salary is another benefit. First, there are minimal training requirements and no experience needed. Plus, the training itself is very inexpensive. The starting salary as compared to the education and training needed is quite favorable. 
• As mentioned, a home health aide does not have extensive training requirements. In fact, CareBridge Academy’s Home Health Aide program can get you certified in only two weeks. They regularly offer classes to fit your schedule and get you into a job and earn a salary quickly.
• You will get exposure and experience in healthcare. By starting your healthcare career, you are taking a path to a promising future. Plus, home health aides often get to work alongside different healthcare roles and specialties. Many HHAs take advanced career and educational opportunities and eventually become nurses, doctors, or physical therapists. Besides that, as home health aides gain experience, they are often able to break into other settings outside of the patient’s home such as residential habilitation or adult and individual services.

How do I take the next step to learn more about HHA training or to register for training?

Take a look at CareBridge Academy’s resources page, where we have extensive information for prospective Home Health Aides as well as Certified Nurse Aides. 

Reach out to CareBridge Academy today for more information. We can answer any questions you have regarding being a Home Health Aide and programs available.