These aides may assist clients with bathing, toileting, hair care, and moving from bed to a chair or another room. Occasionally, they may change nonsterile dressings, use special equipment such as a hydraulic lift, or assist with braces or artificial limbs. Homemaker-home health aides also provide instruction and psychological support. For example, they may assist in toilet training a severely mentally handicapped child or just listen to clients talk about their problems. In home care agencies, homemaker-home health aides are supervised by a registered nurse, a physical therapist, or a social worker, who assigns them specific duties.
Aides report changes in the client's condition to the supervisor or case manager.
The homemaker-home health aide's daily routine may vary. A job can entail going to the same home every day for months or even years. More commonly, however, aides work with a number of different clients, each job lasting from a few hours, days, or weeks. Aides often go to four or five clients on the same day. Surroundings differ from case to case.