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This guide will explain what you need to do in order to become a home health aide in the State of Massachusetts.
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Ideal Candidate
The first step on this career path is to ensure you’re a good match for it, and you do this by checking you have certain qualities.
The most important of them must be:
- Being caring
- Detail-oriented
- Dependable
- Accurate
- Physically strong
- Having very good communication skills
Other qualities will also be a plus, but maybe less important.
These could include:
- Knowing other languages
- Being good with pets
- Being flexible when it comes to working hours
- Being willing to learn other skills
These secondary traits will generally be needed on a case by case scenario, depending on the situation of the person you’ll be aiding.
Education, Training, and Certification in Massachusetts
It’s good to know that in this state home health aides have a whole career ladder they can climb.
The career has levels such as:
- Homemaker,
- Personal care homemaker,
- Home health aide,
- Supportive home health aide
To climb the ladder, appropriate training is needed as different tasks and duties will be assigned to those on the higher levels.
A homemaker for instance will ensure the house of the client is clean, safe, and habitable.
If they turn into a personal care homemaker, the individual will have to help the client with bathing, getting dressed, or moving about.
The home health aide will have even more responsibilities and they’re often the ones helping a nurse or therapist.
A supportive home health aide specializes more in the socialization needs of the client, and this usually relates to sufferers of Alzheimer’s and other issues in the sphere of mental health.
Home health aides working for agencies will need to meet the training requirement set at a federal level.
The aides working in nursing homes will have to be trained almost as much as certified nurse assistants.
The federal standard for home health aides training is 75 hours.
Those training as CNAs may easily have to enroll in programs lasting 100 hours.
In Massachusetts, the following schools offer the accredited courses you’ll have to enroll in.
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Berkshire Community College | 1350 West St, Pittsfield, MA 01201 |
| Bristol Community College | 777 Elsbree St, Fall River, MA 02720 |
| Bunker Hill Community College | 250 Rutherford Ave, Boston, MA 02129 |
| Cape Cod Community College | 2240 Iyannough Rd, West Barnstable, MA 02668 |
| Greenfield Community College | 1 College Dr, Greenfield, MA 01301 |
| Holyoke Community College | 303 Homestead Ave, Holyoke, MA 01040 |
| Middlesex Community College | 591 Springs Rd, Bedford, MA 01730 |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | 444 Green St, Gardner, MA 01440 |
| North Shore Community College | 1 Ferncroft Rd, Danvers, MA 01923 |
| Quinsigamond Community College | 670 W Boylston St, Worcester, MA 01606 |
| Red Cross Massachusetts | 101 Station Landing Suite 510, Medford, MA 02155 |
| Roxbury Community College | 1234 Columbus Ave, Crossing, MA 02120 |
Some employers provide the training programs, though some prefer the candidates to already have the training done.
Attending a degree program will be helpful if you want to build a career in this healthcare field.
Employment and Salary Details in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, the best employers include:
- Walpole area VNA
- Stoughton Public Health Association
- Community Nurse Home Care in Fairhaven
- Kindred at Home in Fall River
- BrightStar Care in Norwood
- FistLight Home Care in Salem
- Home Helpers in Norwood
- Right at Home in Westborough
- Visiting Angels in Newport and Newton/Canton
Hospices and even hospitals are also hiring home health aides.
In larger cities like Boston, Cambridge, Quincy, Lynn, the salaries are higher, though there are several other factors to consider.
For instance, if you’re already certified, you can request a higher pay, whereas individuals who need training at the time of employment, might be offered lower pay.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Boston | $28,739 |
| Worcester | $26,812 |
| Springfield | $26,608 |
| Cambridge | $28,739 |
| Lowell | $27,754 |
| Brockton | $27,575 |
| New Bedford | $26,837 |
| Quincy | $28,739 |
| Lynn | $28,739 |
| Fall River | $26,837 |
Regional Salary in Massachusetts
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town, MA | 2,520 | $38,760 | $18.64 | $44,250 | $36,090 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | 68,220 | $38,980 | $18.74 | $43,760 | $36,850 |
| Leominster-Gardner, MA | 2,650 | $38,300 | $18.41 | $42,680 | $34,850 |
| New Bedford, MA | 3,270 | $37,430 | $18 | $37,450 | $35,420 |
| Pittsfield, MA | 1,980 | $37,840 | $18.19 | $44,320 | $34,670 |
| Springfield, MA-CT | 19,910 | $37,710 | $18.13 | $38,390 | $34,880 |
| Worcester, MA-CT | 12,080 | $37,690 | $18.12 | $40,380 | $34,790 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Other Information
It is likely that the demands from the employers will slowly change.
For instance, some will prefer individuals who:
- Are more tech-savvy
- Know how to work with dementia sufferers
- Speak a second language
- Know how to cook
Read the full guide: How to Become a Home Health Aide
HHA Schools by State